Darling Molly had a run in with a mechanical vehicle which caused a severe soft tissue trauma. She is really very lucky though; her triage assessment included an orthopaedic exam; survey radiographs to check for internal damage; and a neurological assessment.
Although her injury was gruesome and severe; it was successfully closed at emergency surgery; and she was well enough to go home the next day. We supported her with morphine as required and intravenous fluids, warming heat pad, blankets, antibiotics and lots of TLC and re-assurance! It’s so scary for them!
Soft tissue wounds can be deceptive; they require careful exploration. There are often huge cavities of dead space which need careful suturing to prevent fluid build up in the post op period.
Wound management involves clipping, cleaning, copious flushing, surgical planning, and a careful closure with minimal tension. It also requires good pain management and careful post op care for optimal healing.
This wound was very rewarding to deal with! It was heavily contaminated; but she presented very soon to us after her trauma; and we had it repaired quickly before contamination could set in. It will take a while to heal; but little Molly is out of danger and should make a full recovery.
