Wuhan Evening News (Reporter Liu Xuan, Correspondent Jiang Hongying and Chen Shu) "I didn't expect that I was pricked by a bamboo stick and almost lost one of my fingers. Thank you for helping me save this finger!" On April 1, the third person in Wuhan City Mr. Zhang, who was reviewing the suture removal at the hospital, expressed his gratitude to the medical staff of the burn department with excitement on his face.
On the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, Mr. Zhang accidentally pricked the pulp of his left middle finger with a bamboo stick while eating barbecue. There was no bleeding at the time, but there was just a little pain. Mr. Zhang didn't take it to heart. A day later, the middle finger began to swell, the pain worsened, and the person developed a fever.
Mr. Zhang hurried to the community health service center near his home for anti-inflammatory injections, but the effect was not satisfactory. One month later, the swelling of the fingers had not subsided, and the ulcers spread from the fingers to the palms, causing large-scale ulcers.
On March 14, Mr. Zhang found Wuhan Third Hospital. On the advice of the medical director, he came to the burn department. Seeing his wound, the medical staff present were shocked: There was a large sinus on the back of the middle finger of Mr. Zhang's left hand, and a large amount of necrotic tissue was visible to the naked eye. The edge of the wound was red and swollen, and the finger could not be straightened. Can't bend.
After he was admitted to the hospital, Dr. Jiang Nanhong performed a neurovascular tendon exploration on Mr. Zhang and found that all the internal tissues of the wound on his middle finger were ulcerated. The tendon was severely damaged due to long-term immersion in necrotic tissue, causing necrotizing fasciitis. After treatment such as negative pressure drainage, left hand expansion and skin flap transfer, the swelling in Mr. Zhang's finger was completely reduced, and the wound gradually shrank and healed.
"Mr. Zhang's case is a typical skin and soft tissue infection combined with necrotizing fasciitis." Jiang Nanhong explained that the failure to effectively control the infection after the injury was the driving force behind the rapid deterioration of the condition.
Why is being stabbed by a bamboo stick so serious? He said that foreign objects such as bamboo skewers, wooden sticks, and glass penetrate the skin. If they are removed by themselves, they will easily leave debris in the skin and even damage surrounding important tissues, such as blood vessels and nerves, during the removal process. Especially if the wound infection is not treated promptly and effectively, the surrounding fibrous connective tissue will gradually proliferate and thicken under the stimulation of chronic inflammation, abscesses or foreign bodies, forming sinus tracts. If the sinus tract is not completely cleared or foreign bodies and necrotic tissue remain, the sinus tract will not heal for a long time or relapse.
Jiang Nanhong reminded citizens that if they are accidentally injured by a foreign object, especially some small and deep wounds, they must pay attention and go to the hospital immediately for debridement and disinfection. If necessary, tetanus antitoxin injection is also required. You can first clean the wound with soap, rinse it with running water for at least 15 minutes, rub the wound with 2%-3% iodine or 75% alcohol, and then go to the hospital for wound debridement as soon as possible.