Management of lacerations in sports: use of a biosynthetic dressing during competitive wrestling.

Lacerations occur commonly during competitive contact sports. Such injuries often limit the ability of the athlete to continue competition because of concerns about further trauma to the site and risks of infection. We describe herein the use of a biosynthetic dressing, Duoderm Thin, to protect lacerations received during competitive wrestling. The dressing was able to support the skin, protect the laceration from further injury, shield the wound from exposure to infectious agents, and prevent transmission of blood or serum to other wrestlers. Such protection enabled two wrestlers to continue competition and/or practice without adverse effects.