Soft Tissues

The important message in the management of facial soft tissue injuries is to clean the wound of all debris - a clean toothbrush is often very useful.

What are you trying to achieve with your management of soft tissue injuries?

• Optimal healing with minimal aesthetic or functional deficit
• Avoid worsening the situation
• Repair of damaged tissue
• Minimal scarring

Principles of management of facial injuries:

Assess for other injuries

• Primary survey
• Secondary survey

Clean the wound

• Clean thoroughly with saline as dirty wounds may tattoo permanently

Haemostasis

• May be difficult and a pen-held diathermy may be useful.
• The “clip and tie “method may be used with a resorbable suture material

Local or regional anaesthesia

Close wound

• Sutures, staples, would closure adhesive strips or glue