Pediatric Lacerations Repair in Beverly Hills

Committed To Providing Caring Treatment For Your Child

There is nothing more precious than your child. For this reason, it is vital to ensure that if they ever suffer any injury, children are cared for by a physician with a meticulous attention to detail, the finest surgical and medical technique and an ability to communicate and empathize with an injured child. Dr. Gabbay has a deep-rooted medical background in the care and treatment of children. He is known in the community for his gentle and caring bedside manner with kids and is known internationally for his cutting-edge research in advancing pediatric plastic surgical techniques. Our Beverly Hills pediatric laceration repair can help children to feel more confident as they grow up.

In the United States, trauma is the most common cause of disability in the pediatric population. Treating an injured child requires meticulous care, scrupulous attention to detail, and a constant commitment to staying up-to-date with modern technology and advanced techniques. Over one million children suffer lacerations (skin cuts) that require stitches in the emergency room each year. Repairing lacerations of an injured child requires a special skill set, and a doctor with a versatile background and comforting bedside manner, in order to assuage the fears of the child in pain.

Having a plastic surgeon treat childhood lacerations is generally the best treatment choice because plastic surgeons are able to care for your child’s physical health, while simultaneously taking all measures to ensure minimal scarring, and produce the optimal cosmetic results after the injury has healed. At Gabbay Plastic Surgery, located in Beverly Hills, CA, Dr. Joubin Gabbay M.D. frequently treats children with a multitude of different types and sizes of lacerations. Dr. Gabbay works incredibly well with children of all ages and helps them to feel safe and comfortable while utilizing cutting-edge surgical techniques to minimize their pain and ensure any scarring is as inconspicuous as possible. Dr. Gabbay minimizes the potential for childhood scarring by revising the skin edges around the injury and closing the wound in layers, in order to result in a more aesthetically pleasing outcome.

Types of Laceration Repair

Traditionally, sutures have been used for laceration repair; however, other options in the outpatient setting include tissue adhesive strips, tissue glue, advanced wound healing agents and other topical treatments. Whatever the material used, preliminary wound care requires an expansive working knowledge of all available techniques, and the ability to select the appropriate wound-closing option to obtain optimal results.

Having an injured child can be a heart-wrenching and traumatic experience, not only for the child but for the parent as well. During this stressful time, it can be a tremendous relief knowing that your child’s doctor is an incredibly skillful technician, with the ability and empathy to minimize your child’s suffering, as well as any future scarring. Dr. Gabbay has years of experience, and vast knowledge and training working with pediatric patients, and he will do everything possible to ease your worries and restore your child to good health. For more information about pediatric laceration treatment, please contact Gabbay Plastic Surgery today—we are happy to answer any questions and to schedule an initial, complimentary consultation with Dr. Gabbay.

The indications of a laceration include:

Edges of the wound are irregular, ragged and often bruised
Margins of the wound are rough
Strands of the tissues bridge across the deeper parts of the laceration
Foreign material may be found in the wound

The types of lacerations include:

Split Lacerations: produced by crushing of the skin and subcutaneous tissues between two hard objects
Stretch Lacerations: occurs when an overstretching of the skin tears, producing a flap of skin in the direction of the injury due to tangential impact
Avulsions: a separation of the skin due to grinding compression of the tissues
Tears: caused by an irregularly directed impact with a blunt object, causing actual tearing of the skin.
Chop Lacerations: produced by weapons with sharp, heavy edges
Sheer Laceration: caused by sharp objects such as a knife blade or glass
Tension Laceration: occurs when the skin tears after striking a flat surface
Compression Laceration: occurs when the tissue is caught between a bone and an external hard surface, causing the skin to burst and a stellate (star-shaped) patterned wound
Combined Laceration: has the characteristics of both sheer and compression lacerations, and is typically a linear wound with crushed edges

Pediatric lacerations require repair if they meet any of the following criteria:

Bleeding continues after the wound has been cleaned with warm water and antibacterial soap and you have applied pressure for 10–15 minutes.
The wound is more than one-eighth to one-fourth inch deep
The cut exposes fat, muscle, tendon, or bone.
There are changes in the surrounding area of the laceration (i.e. red streaks or drainage)
The laceration is located in an area where a scar would be undesirable.
Dirt and debris can be seen in the wound after irrigation and cleaning.
It feels as if something is in the wound even if you cannot see any debris.
The wound is at risk for developing tetanus
Your child has not received a total of at least three doses of tetanus immunization, or it has been more than five years since their last tetanus immunization
The edges of the wound are jagged or uneven
The wound is located over a joint, and/or extends into a joint-space (i.e. knee, knuckle, wrist, and ankle
The wound is located in an area of high stress (joints, hands, feet, chest)
There is extreme swelling

Be strong. Be confident. Be the star of your own life.

- ESTEE LAUDER

Can Your Child Benefit from Pediatric Laceration Repair in Beverly Hills?

If you are interested in learning more about pediatric laceration repair, please call Gabbay Plastic Surgery and let us schedule your personal consultation with Dr. Gabbay. During your meeting, Dr. Gabbay will discuss your overall expectations in order to determine whether pediatric laceration repair is appropriate for your child. You should come to your consultation prepared to discuss your child’s medical history (including any past surgeries), present medical conditions, allergies, and medications.

It is imperative that you provide complete information, as numerous medical conditions can potentially increase the risks and complications associated with surgery. If Dr. Gabbay feels that your child is a good candidate for pediatric laceration surgery, he will explain the different techniques, costs and potential side effects before scheduling the procedure. When choosing Dr. Gabbay, you can be assured that your child is in the hands of a surgeon who has undergone extensive training and is highly esteemed by his colleagues and patients alike.

Laceration repair treatment options include:

Sutures: used for wounds that are deep, bleeding, have jagged edges or have fat or muscle exposed
Staples: best suited for the scalp, neck, arms, legs, torso, and buttocks
Topical Skin or Tissue Adhesives (i.e. Dermabond): appropriate for mild to moderate lacerations, is applied in three coats and can be utilized in conjunction with stitches
Adhesive Surgical Tape or Strips (i.e. Steri Strips): primarily used for minor lacerations

The Procedure

Once the wound has been cleansed, Dr. Gabbay will use a numbing cream and lidocaine to anesthetize the treatment area. He will then trim any jagged or uneven edges around the wound, and remove any damaged tissue to prevent infection. For deep lacerations, absorbable stitches will be placed within the tissue, in order to close the tissue layers and eliminate any pockets where fluid or blood could accumulate. A light dressing and/or antibiotic ointment will be applied for 24-48 hours, and if the laceration is the result of a human or animal bite, or if the child has a medical condition that inhibits wound healing, a broad-spectrum antibiotic may be prescribed. Dr. Gabbay takes great care to make the experience comfortable for each child and to minimize any post-procedural scarring.

Recovery from Laceration Repair

Following your child’s procedure, you will be given antibiotics and pain medication (if necessary), and you will also be given instructions on how to care for your child at home. Stitches, surgical tape, and staples will be removed within 1-2 weeks, and tissue adhesives will fall off on their own in 5-10 days. It is important that you do not try to remove the closure materials yourself, as this may lead to infection, scarring, or the re-opening of the wound. It is important that you keep your child from picking or scratching their wound, as this can lead to infection, and can exacerbate the severity of the scar.

Although rare, potential complications of pediatric laceration repair include infection, bleeding, pain, swelling, noticeable scarring, poor wound closure, and adverse reaction to anesthesia.

Call today
for a consultation!

Gallery

Schedule your consultation with Gabbay Plastic Surgery today by calling us at (310) 205-9500. Our Beverly Hills plastic surgeon is committed to providing clients with highly skilled treatment.