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Xing Wen Jun
General Surgery
About me
Master's graduate in General Surgery, with 12 years of medical experience. Proficient in the diagnosis and treatment of common and frequently-occurring diseases in General Surgery and Hepatobiliary Surgery.
Proficient in diseases
Diagnosis and treatment of common diseases and frequent diseases in general surgery and hepatobiliary surgery.
Voices
Cut by scissors on the hand requires a tetanus shot.
If the patient's hands were cut by scissors, first check if the scissors were rusty. If the scissors are rusty and the wound is small and deep, there's a higher risk of tetanus infection. It is advised that the patient should first rinse the wound under running water with soap repeatedly, then use hydrogen peroxide for local rinsing and scrubbing, followed by applying sterile iodophor for disinfection, and then cover with sterile dressing. It is recommended that the patient receive an injection of tetanus antitoxin within 24 hours for proactive prevention. If the scissors were made of stainless steel and relatively clean, and the wound is shallow, local treatment may suffice, and tetanus antitoxin injection generally isn't necessary. Additionally, during recovery, the patient should change dressings timely to prevent infection or the possibility of the wound splitting. If necessary, after cleaning and disinfecting, active suturing treatment should be considered.
Where is the tetanus shot injected?
Tetanus antitoxin is generally administered via intramuscular injection, commonly in the buttock muscles. If a patient is injured by a rusty iron object, and the wound is small and deep, it is generally recommended to consider administering tetanus antitoxin actively within 24 hours after the injury to help prevent tetanus. Additionally, for local wound care, the patient needs to rinse the wound with soap and water under running water, then clean, apply, rinse, and dry with hydrogen peroxide before disinfecting with iodine. Afterwards, covering the wound with sterile Vaseline gauze and sterile dressings is appropriate. Furthermore, the patient should keep the wound dry for up to three weeks after the injury as getting it wet may delay healing or increase the risk of incisional infection. Moreover, the patient should avoid alcohol and minimize the intake of spicy and irritating foods within a month after the injury.
Do I need a tetanus shot for a cut?
For patients with a cut on the epidermis, it is first important to determine what object caused the injury. If the injury is from a rusty iron object and the wound is small and deep, it is mostly considered that the patient needs local treatment. Firstly, the patient should wash the wound repeatedly under running water with soapy water, and then clean and disinfect locally with hydrogen peroxide. After air-drying, apply iodophor for disinfection, and finally cover with sterile dressing or a bandage. It is generally recommended that patients avoid getting the area wet for up to three weeks. Additionally, patients should consider getting a tetanus antitoxin or tetanus immunoglobulin injection within 24 hours. If the injury is from another type of object and the patient has already dressed the wound after local treatment, the likelihood of tetanus infection is generally considered lower. It is recommended that the patient change dressings in a timely manner and keep an eye on it. Moreover, within a month, the patient should avoid alcohol and eat less spicy and irritating foods.