What department is the tetanus shot in?

Written by Zhang Da Wei
General Surgery
Updated on March 30, 2025
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Tetanus bacillus is actually a relatively common bacterium, usually caused by traumatic injuries, and is commonly encountered in daily life. Tetanus is an acute disease caused by the tetanus bacillus, and this disease must be managed through preventive measures. When injuries or wounds occur, it is very important to get a tetanus shot, which can usually be administered at a surgical department, allowing for immediate care in such emergencies. This disease is generally quite dangerous, so administering the tetanus vaccine within 24 hours is considered safer. Of course, depending on the specific timing, one could also visit the emergency department to get a tetanus shot urgently, which can also be effective in treatment.

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Written by Ai Bing Quan
General Surgery
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Can you drink alcohol with tetanus?

After receiving a tetanus vaccine, it is not recommended to drink alcohol. It is best to avoid spicy, stimulating, and greasy foods. Usually, when patients are injured, they may need to receive a tetanus vaccine. Especially when injured by rusty metal, the tetanus vaccine can effectively prevent tetanus. However, drinking alcohol at the same time as receiving the tetanus vaccine can easily lead to a drug reaction, causing adverse reactions. For example, increased heart rate, dizziness, palpitations, vomiting, and even shock, which can be life-threatening in severe cases. Furthermore, drinking alcohol is also detrimental to the healing of wounds. Depending on the recovery of the body, patients can generally drink a small amount of alcohol after a week.

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Written by Zhang Peng
General Surgery
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What are the circumstances in which a tetanus shot should not be administered?

Tetanus is a strict anaerobic bacterium. Clinically, for deeper contaminated wounds, especially those contaminated by soil or punctured by rusty iron objects, an active injection of tetanus vaccine is recommended. Generally, for superficial scratches or clean and shallow wounds, as long as proper wound cleaning is performed, it is usually not necessary to administer a tetanus shot. For patients who have completed a full course of immunization or booster immunization within the last ten years and have high antibody levels in the body, if the wound is small, superficial, and free of foreign bodies or necrotic tissue residue, it is not necessary to inject the tetanus vaccine. For wounds that are larger, deeper, and heavily contaminated, with substantial residues of foreign bodies and necrotic tissue, or in cases where thorough wound cleaning is not achievable, an enhanced injection of tetanus antitoxin or immunoglobulin should be administered.

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Written by Li Jin Quan
General Surgery
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Do you need a tetanus shot for a scrape?

Whether tetanus vaccination is necessary for an abrasion depends on the severity of the injury. For a minor abrasion where the wound is not deep, you can repeatedly rinse the wound with hydrogen peroxide or saline solution to wash off contaminants. After that, disinfect with iodine and perform simple bandaging. Change the dressing as needed. Such abrasions do not require a tetanus shot. However, if the abrasion is severe, the wound is deep, heavily contaminated, or caused by rusty metal, it is essential to receive tetanus vaccination while cleaning the wound in the hospital to prevent tetanus.

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Written by Gao Sen
General Surgery
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The likelihood of a wound being infected with tetanus

Tetanus is a specific infection often associated with trauma, with a high contamination rate of tetanus bacillus in traumatic wounds. On the battlefield, the contamination rate can reach 25% to 80%, although the incidence of tetanus in contaminated wounds is only about 10% to 20%. This suggests that other factors are necessary for the disease to occur, with the main factor being an anaerobic environment. If the wound is deep, with a small external opening, and contains necrotic tissue, blood clots, or is too tightly packed, this can lead to local ischemia. Additionally, if there is a co-infection with aerobic bacteria consuming residual oxygen in the wound, it creates an anaerobic environment conducive to the growth of the bacteria, thus increasing the likelihood of tetanus infection in the wound.

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Written by Liu Huan Huan
General Surgery
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How to rescue from tetanus allergy

In clinical settings, when administering tetanus injections, it is very easy for allergic reactions to occur, even severe complications like anaphylactic shock. In such cases, the following emergency measures can be taken: First, establish an intravenous access immediately, then start the patient on infusion therapy; Second, if the patient experiences a drop in blood pressure, vasopressor agents can be used for pressor therapy; Third, it's essential to provide the patient with cardiac monitoring, oxygenation, and other supportive treatments. In addition, it's crucial to use anti-allergy medications. There are many anti-allergic drugs available clinically, and the specific medication to be used should be decided based on the patient's specific condition. (Please administer medications under the guidance of a professional physician, and do not self-medicate.)