An open soft tissue injury is an injury where the surface of the skin or the mucous membrane is broken, exposing underlying, deeper tissue. This type of injury requires a thorough assessment and appropriate BLS care.

There are four types of open soft tissue injuries. They are:

• Laceration
• Abrasion
• Avulsion
• Amputation

Photo images used with permission of Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Sudbury, MA, www.jbpub.com (Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Trauma Slide Set, Copyright 2002). Graphic illustrations: LifeART(R) image, Copyright 1998, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.