How to Treat an Incised Wound

An incised wound is characterized by clean edges and often is caused by cutting instruments or sharp objects, such as broken glass. If blood vessels are cut, the wound can bleed heavily. Knowing how to treat an incised wound can reduce the amount of blood lost and prevent infection.

Things You'll Need

• Rubber gloves
• Sterile gauze
• Water
• Cotton balls
• Tweezers
• Washcloth
• Soap
• Antibiotic ointment
• Adhesive bandage

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Instructions

Stop the Bleeding

• 1

  Respond quickly to the wound, but put on rubber gloves to prevent cross-contamination.

• 2

  Stop the bleeding by covering the wound with sterile gauze, then apply gentle pressure with your palm.

• 3

  Add a second layer of gauze if the first one soaks through.

• 4

  If the wound is on an arm or leg, elevate it above the heart to allow gravity to slow the blood flow.

• 5

  Alternately, apply pressure to the major artery (upper arm: brachial; leg: femoral) supplying blood to the wound to slow the bleeding.

• 6

  As a last resort, apply a tourniquet (a strip of cloth tightly tied above the wound) to cut off circulation and blood flow.

Clean the Wound

• 7

  Run water over the wound.

• 8

  Remove dirt from the wound, using a damp cotton ball.

• 9

  Remove any particles or foreign bodies with tweezers cleaned in alcohol.

• 10

  Gently clean the area around the wound with soap and a washcloth.

• 11

  Apply a thin layer of antibiotic ointment on the wound to promote healing and prevent infection and scarring.

Dress the Wound

• 12

  Cover the wound with sterile gauze or an adhesive bandage.

• 13

  Change the dressing every day.

• 14

  Monitor the wound for signs of infection (tenderness, pus, red streaks).

• 15

  See a doctor is you think there is infection or the wound does not seem to be healing properly.