Laceration Repair - What Is It?

Experiencing a cut or scrape at times is quite common. While minor lacerations can heal on their own within some days, a deep cut may require medical assistance, as it may house bacteria or debris, which can lead to excessive bleeding or infections.

At Metro Urgent Care, we treat all types of laceration, including minor, major, facial, or those that need stitches, with our swift medical assistance and care. Contact us to get quick treatment for laceration in Chicago, IL.

Immediate Treatment for Lacerations

If you get a scrape or cut, stop the bleeding by applying pressure to the wound and keep the wounded area elevated above the heart for 15 minutes. Once the bleeding stops, apply an antiseptic ointment and wrap your wound with sterile gauze to reduce the risk of infection. Take over-the-counter pain medications if needed.

If the bleeding does not stop even after applying pressure, visit us immediately, as your wound may require stitches or further treatment.

Laceration Repair Techniques

We use several laceration repair techniques, from sutures to tissue adhesives and skin-closure tape,
depending on the location and depth of your cut.

Suturing

It is the most preferred technique to close multiple-layer, deep lacerations. We may use absorbable, non-absorbable, or blue-colored sutures, depending on your wound type. For example, deep cuts must be closed with absorbable sutures, and minor wounds can be closed with non-absorbable stitches.

Also, we follow different suturing techniques for different wounds, which include:

Horizontal Mattress Technique - Gaping/high-tension/fragile-skin wounds
Vertical Mattress Technique - Everting wound edges on the posterior neck or concave skin surfaces
Half-Buried Mattress (Corner) Technique - A triangular wound edge
Running (Baseball) Technique - Long, low-tension wounds
Subcuticular Running Technique - Small, low-tension wounds

Tissue Adhesives (Dermabond)

These don't require anesthesia and can be applied quickly while eliminating the need for follow-ups, as they shed off on their own within 5-10 days. Tissue adhesives have antimicrobial properties and form a protective barrier to promote wound healing.

However, tissue adhesives are not recommended for:

Diabetes patients or immunosuppressed individuals
High-tension wounds, contaminated or complex wounds, and wounds on mucosal surfaces (groin and axillae)

Staples

Stainless steel or absorbable staples can be quickly applied, making them a good choice for those with multiple traumas. Automatic staplers are often used to close thick skin on the extremities, scalp, and trunk. Stainless steel staples should be avoided on scalp wounds if a CT or MRI scan of the head is required in the future.

Skin-Closure Strips

These are effective for simple, small lacerations in low-tension areas with well-approximated edges and pretibial lacerations, promoting faster healing while preventing necrosis. However, skin-closure strips' lack of tensile strength can cause wound dehiscence, and adhesive adjuncts (tincture of benzoin) can cause a local inflammatory reaction.

Why Choose Metro Urgent Care?

With highly experienced physicians and state-of-the-art equipment, Metro Urgent Care is the leading provider of laceration treatment in Chicago, IL, and surrounding areas. Whether you have a cut or tear in your skin, face, or tissue, visit us for appropriate treatment and care.

Highlights of our services:

Get seen quickly with little to no wait times
Open every day with convenient business hours (7 am to 7 pm on weekdays and 8 am to 12 pm on weekends)
On-site X-ray and lab facilities for prompt evaluation of your medical needs
In-house pharmacy to help you get medications for all common non-life threatening conditions in one place
No appointments are required for medical exams

Laceration Repair

Receive Faster and Effective Laceration Treatment in Chicago, IL