The following are the most important diseases or complications that may be contributed to by open wounds:
Skin and subcutaneous (L00-L99).
- If wound healing is impaired, transition to ulcer (ulcer) or chronic wound possible – Impaired wound healing may result from:
- Pre-damaged skin (in peripheral arterial occlusive disease (pAVK), chronic venous insufficiency (venous weakness), polyneuropathy/diseases of the peripheral nervous system affecting multiple nerves),
- Wound infections, and
- Systemic causes such as diabetes mellitus, protein deficiency and factor XIII deficiency.
- Poor scarring – hypertrophic scars, keloids (bulging scar).
Infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99).
- Infection of the wound – the wound is a portal of entry for pathogens, which may result in local wound infection; erysipelas (erysipelas; an infection of the skin caused by Streptococcus pyogenes) is also possible. Torn wound edges are significantly more likely to become infected than smooth wound edges.
- Gas gangrene – caused by the bacterium Clostridium perfringens with enterotoxin formation (toxins that exert their damaging effects in the gastrointestinal tract / gastrointestinal tract).
- Tetanus (tetanus) – triggered by the bacterium Clostridium tetani with neurotoxin formation (in contaminated wounds by soil, wood splinters, etc.).
- Rabies (rabies) – eg dog bite abroad.
- Special wound infections are:
- Bite wounds – very persistent mixed infections can occur here (due to saliva rich in pathogens).
- Sepsis
Circulatory system (I00-I99)
- Endocarditis (endocarditis of the heart) due to Capnocytophaga canimorsus (Latin canimorsus “dog bite”; zoonotic pathogen; facultative anaerobic, gram-negative bacterium); occurrence: Mouth of dogs and cats
Musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99).
- In bite wounds: Osteomyelitis (bone marrow inflammation))
Ears – mastoid process (H60-H95)
- Sensorineuronal hearing loss (SNHL) due to Capnocytophaga canimorsus (Latin canimorsus “dog bite”; zoonotic pathogen; facultative anaerobic, gram-negative bacterium); occurrence: Mouth of dogs and cats
Psyche – nervous system (F00-F99; G00-G99).
- Meningitis (meningitis) due to Capnocytophaga canimorsus (Latin canimorsus “dog bite”; zoonotic agent; facultative anaerobic, gram-negative bacterium); occurrence: Mouth of dogs and cats
Injuries, poisonings, and other consequences of external causes (S00-T98).
- Concomitant injuries to muscles, vessels, nerves, bones.
- Hematoma (bruise due toPost-bleeding).
- Compartment syndrome (massive tissue swelling, which can result in amputation in the absence of acute treatment) – especially in bruises in the area of the lower leg, foot, forearm, hand.
- Scarring
- Injuries to the carotid artery following dog bites; most common cause in deaths of children under 10 years of age
- Wound rupture – e.g., due to lack of immobilization (coughing, sneezing, vomiting).
Further
- Seroma formation (accumulation of wound secretions).
