Rabies surgery
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Mahshid Mir, M.D. [2]
Overview
Immediate gentle irrigation with water or a dilute water povidone-iodine solution has been shown to markedly decrease the risk of bacterial infection. Wound cleansing is especially important in rabies prevention.
Surgery
The management procedure of wounds in patients suspicious of rabies is the same as all other wound management procedure.
Wound Care[1]
Regardless of the risk of rabies, bite wounds can cause serious injuries such as:
- Nerve or tendon laceration
- Infections (local and system infection)
In the wound treatment procedure, cosmetic issues should be considered.
For many types of bite wounds, immediate gentle irrigation with water or a dilute water povidone-iodine solution has been shown to markedly decrease the risk of bacterial infection. Wound cleansing is especially important in rabies prevention since, in animal studies, thorough wound cleansing alone without other postexposure prophylaxis has been shown to markedly reduce the likelihood of rabies.
Patient should receive a tetanus shot if has not been immunized in the previous ten years. Decisions regarding the use of antibiotics, and primary wound closure should be considered.