Soft Tissue Trauma

Abstract

Severe trauma to the soft tissue and/or underlying structures needs specialized wound care. Local debridement of devitalized tissue, wound irrigation, local and systemic antibiotics, as well as vacuum-assisted dressing is the mainstays of initial therapy. The secondary strategy after achieving clean structures often consists in using skin grafts or local or distant flaps. Early diagnosis of a compartment syndrome is essential in order to avoid severe complications. Degloving injuries, as well as soft tissue injuries of the face or the extremities, impose difficult problems and might need specialized care.