Rules of wound treatment

After stopping bleeding the skin around the wound is treated with a solution of iodine, manganese, brilliant green, alcohol, vodka or cologne. A cotton or gauze swab moistened with one of these liquids is applied to the skin from the edge of the wound to the outside. They should not be poured into the wound as this will increase pain, damage tissues inside the wound and slow down the healing process. In a penetrating abdominal wound, do not eat or drink. After treatment, the wound is covered with a sterile dressing.

If sterile material is not available, gauze or clean cloth may be used. Apply iodine to the area of the dressing that will be in contact with the wound.

Rules for sterile dressings

Head and Neck Injury Dressing

For head injuries, a dressing is applied to the wound using head scarves, sterile wipes, and adhesive plaster. The type of dressing chosen depends on the location and nature of the wound. For scalp wounds, a “cap” dressing is applied, which is secured with a strip of bandage behind the lower jaw. A piece of bandage up to 1 m in size is torn off and placed in the middle over a sterile napkin covering the wound on the vertex area, the ends are pulled down vertically in front of the ears and held taut. The bandage is wrapped around the head in a circular fixing turn, then, having reached the dressing, the bandage is wrapped around it and led obliquely to the back of the head. Alternating turns of the bandage through the back of the head and forehead, each time directing it more vertically, cover the entire scalp. After that, strengthen the bandage with 2-3 circular turns. The ends are tied with a bow under the chin.

If the neck, larynx or back of the head is wounded, a cross-shaped bandage is applied. By circular turns the bandage is first secured around the head and then above and behind the left ear it is brought down obliquely to the neck. The bandage is then led along the right lateral surface of the neck, cover the front surface and return to the back of the head, and then lead above the right and left ear, repeating the moves made. The bandage is fixed with turns of the bandage around the head.

With extensive head wounds and their location in the face area the bandage is applied in the form of a “bridle”. After 2-3 tightening circular strokes through the forehead the bandage is led along the occiput to the neck and chin, make several vertical strokes through the chin and vertex, then from under the chin the bandage is led along the occiput.

A pectoral bandage is applied to the nose, forehead and chin. A sterile napkin or bandage is placed under the dressing on the wound surface.

The eye bandage begins with a securing move around the head, then the bandage is led from the back of the head under the right ear to the right eye or under the left ear to the left eye and then begin to alternate turns of the bandage: one through the eye, the second around the head.

Bandages on the chest

A spiral or cruciate bandage is applied to the chest. For a spiral bandage, tear off about 1.5 m. of bandage, place it on a healthy upper arm and leave it hanging crosswise on the chest. The bandage, starting from the bottom of the back, is used in spiral turns to bandage the chest. The loose ends of the bandage are tied together. The cruciate bandage is applied from below by circular, fixing 2-3 turns of the bandage, then from the back to the right shoulder with a fixing circular motion, from below through the right shoulder, again around the chest. The end of the bandage of the last circular stroke is secured with a pin.

For penetrating chest wounds, an airtight dressing is applied to the wound, possibly using a band-aid. Strips of plaster, starting 1-2 cm above the wound, are tiled to the skin, thus covering the entire wound surface. A sterile napkin or sterile bandage in 3-4 layers is placed on the bandage, then a layer of absorbent cotton and tightly bandaged. Wounds accompanied by pneumothorax with significant bleeding are especially dangerous. In this case it is most expedient to cover the wound with airtight material (oilcloth, cellophane) and apply a bandage with a thickened layer of absorbent cotton or gauze.

Abdominal dressings

A sterile dressing is applied to the upper abdomen, with bandages applied in successive turns from bottom to top.

On the lower part of the abdomen, a coloshaped bandage is applied to the abdomen and groin area. It starts with turns around the abdomen, then make a turn of the bandage on the outer surface of the thigh and around it, then again make turns around the abdomen. Small non-penetrating wounds of the abdomen, furuncles are closed with a sticker with the use of a band-aid.

Bandages on the upper extremities, shoulder and forearm

Spiral, spiral and cruciform dressings are usually applied to the upper extremities.

The spiral bandage on the finger starts with a turn around the wrist, then the bandage is passed around the back of the hand to the nail phalanx and the bandage is applied spirally from the end to the base and back on the back of the wrist to fix the bandage on the wrist.

A cruciate bandage for palm or dorsal wrist injuries is applied starting with a fixation over the wrist and then over the back of the wrist to the palm.