dirty wound
Infected open cut
A dirty wound is a wound contaminated with foreign material, bacteria, or debris—soil, feces, rust, or dead tissue.
The term is clinical, distinguishing wounds that require aggressive cleaning or antibiotics from clean surgical incisions.
Puncture wounds and animal bites are typically considered dirty: The ER treated it as a dirty wound and started antibiotics immediately.
- pusInfected tissue fluid
- taintedContaminated, made impure
- uncleanSoiled or contaminated
- pollutedMade impure by contaminants
- septicInfected with bacteria
contamination · festering · soiled · rotting · abscess · painful · infection · trauma · gaping hole · filth · bacteria · debridement · chronic inflammation · pain management · cellulitis · blood poisoning · gangrene · antibiotic therapy