Wound care: treatment of a case of lower extremity hematoma

When a hematoma occurs in the lower extremity, correct treatment is very important, otherwise, it may lead to hematoma enlargement, increased pain, and even other complications. The following is an article about a case of lower extremity hematoma management.

Case introduction :

A male patient in his fifties, engaged in outdoor activities, accidentally fell during a hiking trip and suffered an external impact on his right lower extremity. At that time, the patient felt a little pain in the right lower extremity, but there was no obvious bleeding. After returning home, the patient began to feel obvious swelling of the right lower extremity and increased pain, especially when walking.

What can cause a hematoma to occur?

Hematoma refers to the swelling caused by the rupture of subcutaneous blood vessels and the accumulation of blood under the skin due to external force. The causes of hematoma mainly include the following aspects:

External impact :

When the limbs are impacted by external force, the skin, and subcutaneous soft tissue will be impacted, causing subcutaneous blood vessels to rupture, and blood will accumulate under the skin to form a hematoma.

Damage to the vessel wall :

When the vessel wall is damaged by an external force, the risk of vessel rupture increases, which can lead to hematoma.

infection :

If infection occurs around the hematoma, it may also cause the hematoma to grow larger, increase pain, and even cause other complications.

Chronic disease :

Some chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, etc. will increase the risk of hematoma because these diseases will reduce the elasticity of blood vessels and increase the risk of blood vessel rupture.

In short, the occurrence of hematoma is due to the rupture of subcutaneous blood vessels caused by external force or damage to the blood vessel wall, and blood accumulates under the skin. When suffering from external force or subcutaneous hemorrhage, we should brake urgently, apply cold compresses, compress, and seek medical treatment in time to promote the absorption of hematoma and reduce the occurrence of complications.

Processing steps :

1. Emergency braking

The occurrence of hematoma is due to the rupture of subcutaneous blood vessels due to external force and the accumulation of blood under the skin. Therefore, immediate cessation of activity to avoid further injury is a crucial step.

2. Cold compress

Cold compresses can relieve pain and swelling, and reduce bleeding and bruising. Apply an ice pack or cold water towel to the swollen area for 15-20 minutes each time, 3-4 times a day.

3. Oppression

Apply pressure to swollen areas with Elastic Bandage Self-Adhesive to reduce pain and promote hematoma absorption. It should be noted that the pressure should be appropriate, not too tight or too loose.

4. Dressing use:

You can choose the Alginate Dressing dressing, which forms sodium alginate through ion exchange when it comes into contact with wound exudate, and has the ability to absorb a large amount of liquid, which is 5-7 times that of gauze.

And the alginate dressing releases calcium ions into the wound induces platelet activation, and the production of blood growth factors, thereby stopping bleeding and accelerating wound healing. The barrier function of dressings to adsorb and block bacteria is to enhance wound defense against pathogenic microorganisms by stimulating the activation of wound macrophages. A superabsorbent dressing was chosen for the second layer of dressing, and pressure therapy was given.

Conclusion :

For the treatment of lower extremity hematoma, the correct method can relieve pain and swelling, and promote hematoma absorption. However, if the patient does not seek medical treatment in time or handles it improperly, it may lead to increased hematoma, increased pain, and even other complications, which seriously affect the quality of life. Therefore, when a lower extremity hematoma occurs, timely medical treatment and correct treatment are crucial.

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Editor: kiki Jia

Date: April 27, 2023