puncture wound [L, punctura + AS, wund] , a traumatic injury caused by skin penetration by an object, such as a knife, nail, or slender fragment of metal, wood, glass, or other material. In such an injury to the eye, a lung, or a visceral organ, the object or implement is not removed until the person has been transported to a medical facility. Minor puncture wounds are treated with thorough cleansing. If a puncture wound is allowed to close at the skin before deeper healing has occurred, suppuration often results. A tetanus toxoid immunization is usually given for such wounds.
