The value of loupe magnification: an underused tool in emergency medicine

Abstract

Study Objectives Loupe magnification is widely used in medicine. Hand surgeons, in particular, use magnification for virtually all cases. The physical examination is more effective with magnification including improved tissue and foreign body identification. It is valuable for meticulous debridement of foreign material. Skin closure is much improved with more clearly identified wound edges. The detail and precision is vastly better allowing more ideal surgical repairs. These principles could improve wound care quality for emergency physicians as well. This article will compare wound visualization with the naked eye and 2.5 magnification loupes to determine the relative value for an emergency physician. Materials and Methods Using a cadaver model, this article will compare relative visualization using no magnification and 2.5 loupe magnification. Comparative photographs will be used for identification of wound edges and anatomical structures. Results The photographs presented demonstrate relative visualization with the naked eye and the 2.5 loupes. These photographs demonstrate the advantage of magnification in wound care and closure. The only significant costs are the loupes which should not be a deterrent for emergency physicians. Discussion Loupe magnification is the standard for quality wound care and closure in hand surgery. They are also used in many other fields of medicine, including facial and plastic surgery. Magnification is now common and has proven effective. Emergency physicians, in general, have not readily embraced the use of magnification. Hand wounds and facial laceration repairs in the emergency department (ED) are 2 areas magnification could be particularly helpful. This study clearly demonstrates the relative advantage of magnification for tissue identification, debridement, and skin closure. Magnification is a potentially valuable tool in laceration repair in the ED. It greatly enhances results at minimal costs.