© 2003 BMJ Publishing Group, British Association for Accident & Emergency Medicine, & Faculty of Accident & Emergency Medicine
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Barking up the wrong tree? A survey of dog bite wound management
1 Emergency Department, Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds, UK
2 Emergency Department, Airedale General Hospital, Skipton, UK
3 Emergency Department, Barnsley District General Hospital, Barnsley, UK
Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr A Walker, Emergency Department, Airedale General Hospital, Skipton, UK;
alison.walker1{at}virgin.net
Objectives: Several trials have been published examining the role of antibiotics in dog bite wound management. A meta-analysis of these suggests that there is very little benefit to routine antibiotic prescription in these patients. All papers however incorporated rigorous wound care regimens involving large volume irrigation.
Methods: The authors undertook a telephone survey to investigate wound care and prescribing practice in bite wound management in accident and emergency and minor injury units in the Yorkshire region.
Results: Twenty one departments were contacted. Only 10% of departments routinely irrigate these wounds. Antibiotics are prescribed routinely in 71%.
Conclusions: Management of dog bite wounds would not seem to be evidence based in most departments in this sample.
Keywords: dog bite; wounds
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