Discharge Instructions - Laceration Repair (Suture)

As discussed in the Emergency Department prior to discharge, you have been diagnosed with a laceration to the [location].

How to take care of your cut:

-It is important to keep the stitches or staples dry for 24-48 hours.

-Once you have taken off the bandage, take a look at the wound.  It is normal for there to be a little redness around the wound, however, the redness should not be growing.  Every day, take off the bandage and look at the wound to see if the redness is spreading.  If it is spreading, this may be a sign of an infection.

-You can apply Polysporin (or the generic version of Polysporin) once a day after you take a look at the wound.

Many people wonder whether they should keep their wound covered or expose it to the air.  Research has shown that the wound will heal slightly faster if it is kept covered.

When should my stitches come out?

-The stitches or staples should come out in 5 days if they are on your face, 8-10 days for most other cuts, and 14 days for cut that is over a joint (like over the elbow, the wrist, the knee, etc).  For cuts on the face, you can ask the doctor to put on some steri-strips (a type of thin bandage) on the wound once the stitches are removed, since they have to come out early (5 days) and the wound will still be weak.

If your wound starts to bleed at home, cover it and apply pressure for a full 5 minutes.

If the cut is large, keeping the area elevated as much as you can will speed up recovery.  For example, if the cut is on your forearm then raise your arm as much as you can (like you are the queen and about to wave at your subjects).  If the cut is on your leg, prop your leg up on a table or chair when you are sitting down.

Return to the Emergency Department for new fever (≥38.0 °C or 100.4 °F), signs of infection like spreading redness around the wound or pus formation, or any new or concerning symptoms.

Either see your primary care provider within the next few days, or if you can’t see them quickly go to a walk-in clinic or return to the Emergency Department for suture removal.

Discharge Instructions - Laceration Repair (Adhesive)

As discussed in the Emergency Department prior to discharge, you have been diagnosed with a laceration to the [location].

Here are some tips for managing a cut that has been fixed with glue:

-Do not pick at the glue (this can cause the glue to fall off)

-Do not apply Polysporin (or any other ointment, such as Vaseline) on the glue

-Try not to get the glue wet.  After 24-48 hours, it is okay if light spray touches the glue when you shower, but do not immerse the area in water.

-You can put a bandage over the glue.  This may be helpful in children, to prevent them from picking at it.

If you have had a cut that has been fixed with Steri-strips, the same rules above apply.  However, steri-strips must be kept completely dry.  If the strips become wet accidentally, immediately dab them gently with a towel.

For both glue and steri strips, monitor the wound every day for any signs of infection.

Possible signs of infection include:

-Spreading redness

-A streak of red going up your arm or leg from the wound

-Pus coming out of the wound.

To speed up the healing of the cut keep the area elevated as much as possible, so that gravity can drain the swelling away from the cut.  For example, if the cut is on your forearm, keep your arm raised as much as you can (like you are the queen and about to wave at your subjects).  If the burn is on your leg, prop your leg up on a chair whenever you are sitting down.

Return to the Emergency Department for fever (≥38.0 °C or 100.4 °F), signs of infection like redness around the wound that is spreading or pus.

If you can see your primary care provider within a few days, you can see them instead of coming to the Emergency Department.

Procedure Note - Laceration Repair

Laceration Repair Note:

The patient was counseled on the risks, benefits, and alternatives to the procedure, and provided consent.  A timeout procedure was performed prior to initiating the procedure. 

The area was prepped and draped in the usual sterile manner.  The site was anesthetized with [##] mL of [lidocaine+/-epinephrine].  The laceration was irrigated with [##] mL of [normal saline/water], and explored without evidence of significant debris, contamination, or tendon or other deep injury.

The wound edges were approximated with [# sutures] [Nylon/Prolene/Gut] [#]-0 sutures.  The wound was dressed with appropriate bandage [and topical antibiotic ointment].  Bleeding was well controlled with suture repair.  The patient tolerated the procedure well without complications.