Trick of the trade: Irrigation scalp wound photos

I mentioned from an earlier post about building a "head basin" for collecting irrigation fluid prior to wound closure. This basin prevents a deluge of fluid from soaking the gurney sheets and patient.

I finally managed to capture this trick in action, while a student was irrigating an eyebrow laceration.

Pearl: When cutting out a semi-circular or rectangular hole in the basin, be sure that there remains a 2-4 inch lip at the bottom to ensure that fluid can collect in the basin.