Surgical OPD

Abscesses, wounds, burns, bites and the minor procedures you will do yourself.

• BurnsCool with running water for 20 minutes, size it with the patient's palm, judge the depth, and refer the burns that need a burns unit.
• Dog, cat and human bitesWash with soap and water for 15 minutes, leave punctures open, give co-amoxiclav when needed, and decide on rabies vaccine and immunoglobulin for every mammal bite.
• Epididymo-orchitisGradual painful swelling behind the testis with urine symptoms. But torsion is a clinical diagnosis: sudden severe pain in a young man means surgery now.
• Lacerations and wound closureCheck nerves and tendons before anaesthetic, wash it out well, close with the right method, and sort tetanus.
• Paronychia and finger infectionsRed swollen nail fold with pus: lift the fold and let it out. A swollen, bent, painful whole finger is a flexor sheath infection — surgery today.
• Skin abscessPus needs to come out. Incision and drainage is the treatment; antibiotics only for spreading cellulitis or an unwell patient.