Puncture Wound

Bad Bugs Slideshow Pictures Take the Bed Bugs Quiz! 8050172

Medical Author:

Barbara J Blasko, MD

Coauthor:

Scott E Rudkin, MD

Medical Editor:

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.

View Full Profile

• Puncture Wound Overview
• Puncture Wound Causes
• Puncture Wound Symptoms
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Puncture Wound Diagnosis
• Puncture Wound Treatment
• Puncture Wound Self-Care at Home
• Puncture Wound Medical Treatment
• Puncture Wound Follow-up
• Puncture Wound Prevention
• Puncture Wound Prognosis
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Authors and Editor
• Read more on Puncture Wound from Healthwise
• Viewer Comments: Puncture Wound - Causes

Puncture Wound Overview

A puncture wound is caused by an object piercing the skin and creating a small hole. Some punctures are just on the surface. Others can be very deep, depending on the source and cause.

A puncture wound does not usually result in excessive bleeding. Usually, these wounds close fairly quickly without any intervention. Treatment may be necessary to prevent infection in some wounds. A puncture wound from a cause such as stepping on a nail can become infected because the object that caused the wound may carry bacteria or spores Clostridium spp that cause tetanus into the skin and tissue.

The subject of puncture wounds discussed here is meant to cover only the non-lifethreatening wounds, and is not an article that covers deep organ penetrating wounds seen with guns, large knives, lances or other similar objects.

Puncture Wound Causes

Common causes of puncture wounds are wood splinters, pins, nails, and glass. Puncture wounds may also be caused by objects such as scissors and knives. Almost any sharp object can potentially cause a puncture wound.