A patient comes in with a large, deep abrasion on the forearm after a motorcycle accident. There is some debris embedded in the wound. How should this be managed?
This patient's abrasion should be managed by first cleaning the wound with saline or water to remove superficial dirt and debris. However, given the presence of embedded debris, the patient should ideally be referred to a healthcare professional who can properly clean and debride the wound under sterile conditions. The wound should then be covered with a clean, non-adherent dressing. Depending on the severity of the wound, a tetanus booster might be required if the patient's vaccination is not up to date. Antibiotics may also be considered given the circumstances of the injury.