Sterile or Clean Gloves for Laceration Repair?

Sterile or Clean Gloves for Laceration Repair?

Can clean gloves (those in the box in the room) be used safely during the repair of traumatic lacerations in the ED? Should we break open the package of sterile gloves each time? This Journal Club recap covers a recent paper examining the use of clean vs sterile gloves for wound repair in the ED.

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Open Breaks - Antibiotics for Open Fractures

Open Breaks - Antibiotics for Open Fractures

Open fractures are a common pathology seen in emergency departments, especially in trauma centers. In open fractures, the skin barrier has been compromised, exposing sterile bone to the environment. Considered a true orthopedic emergency, these fractures have high morbidity due to osteomyelitis, with infection rates up to 55%. (1) Appropriate and timely intervention in the emergency department with proper antibiotic therapy, wound care, and early orthopedic surgery involvement dramatically reduces the risk of developing osteomyelitis. In this post we will discuss antibiotic recommendations for osteomyelitis prophylaxis for open fractures. Initial management of open fractures is discussed in another post.

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