1. NinaW

    NinaW New Member

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    Medical treatment for a nasty neck wound.

    Discussion in 'Research' started by NinaW, May 17, 2015.

    So I'm writing a vampire story and main character nearly gets killed in the opening chapter. Now the vampires in this aren't neat and tidy eaters. She's end up with really bad mauling on her neck and looses so much blood she nearly dies.

    I've been trying to look up how this would be treated in a hospital but all I'm finding is first aid stuff for minor dog bites, so I was wondering if anyone on here knows anything about this sort of thing. Like how long she would be kept in hospital, what sort of treatment she would get other than a blood transfusion and some stitches. This is set in England so I don't need to know about insurance or anything like that, just medical treatment. Also any after effect would be useful, like how long it should take her to recover, possible complications, if she would essentially be showing signs of anaemia even after transfusion, things like that.

    I'd be grateful for any help.
     
  2. GingerCoffee

    GingerCoffee Web Surfer Girl Contributor

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    If the wound is extensive, involving injury to muscle and blood vessels it would likely need a surgical repair. The wound would be cleaned, structures would be repaired. Something too damaged to repair would be removed and if a muscle graft is needed it would likely be done at a later time. A blood vessel graft might be done at the time of the initial injury repair.

    A clean wound with sharp edges might be sewn up. A very ragged wound would have a drain placed in it, partially sewn up allowing the wound to fill in rather than just seal. If the drain wasn't placed, the accumulating fluids become a source for bacteria to grow where the immune system cannot get to them.

    In addition, if the wound is not treated and repaired within the first 24 hours, it is generally left open with the drain as well because bacteria would have already established themselves. An exception might be if the wound have to be closed because of the nature/depth of it. In such a case the edges are cut further back to allow clean edges to be aligned.

    Typically a person doesn't go home until the drains come out, but that is not an absolute. In addition, for short term IV antibiotics a person will stay in the hospital but for long term nowadays they go home with a heparin lock and IV antibiotics are administered at home.
     
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