Texas Medical Assistant Certification Practice Test

What type of wound is characterized as closed with blood from broken vessels accumulating in the tissues?

1. Surgical incision

2. Contusion

3. Avulsion

4. Puncture

The correct answer is: Contusion

A contusion is characterized by being a closed wound where blood from broken vessels accumulates in the tissues, leading to discoloration and swelling. This type of wound typically occurs due to a blunt force trauma that does not break the skin, resulting in bruising. In a contusion, the body's tissues sustain damage, causing tiny blood vessels to rupture and leak blood into the surrounding area, hence the accumulation. In contrast, a surgical incision is a type of open wound where the skin is cut intentionally, generally during a surgical procedure, with the edges of the wound being clean and straight. An avulsion involves the forcible separation of a piece of skin or other tissues, leading to a flap or complete removal, making it a more complex wound type. A puncture is a small but deep wound caused by a pointed object that penetrates the skin, but it does not typically involve the accumulation of blood in the tissues in the same way a contusion does.