What it means
A wound made when tissue is torn or cut, for example by glass, a fall or a sharp edge. It can be shallow or deep enough to reach muscle, tendon or blood vessels. In childbirth, a laceration is a tear of the perineum or vagina, graded first to fourth degree by how deep it goes.
For the nurse
Control bleeding with direct pressure, then describe the length, depth, edges and any dirt or debris. Check feeling, movement and circulation below the wound, and ask when the client last had a tetanus shot. A wound may be closed with sutures, staples, strips or skin glue.
In a chart
"3 cm laceration to right palm, edges approximated, bleeding controlled with pressure."
At a glance
| Spanish | laceración |
|---|---|
| Also written | lacerations, lacerated |
Related terms
hemorrhage
A large loss of blood from a blood vessel, inside the body or out of it.
lesion
An area of tissue that has been damaged or has changed from normal, such as a sore, wound, lump or spot.
suture
A stitch, or the thread used to stitch, that holds the edges of a wound or incision together.