PATIENT CAME INTO CLINIC, HE HURT HIS FINGER AROUND CHRISTMAS ON RUSTED BARB WIRE.  NOW, THREE WEEKS LATER, SEVERE SWELLING, NO FEVER NO STIFFNESS BUT NO FOREIGN OBJECT IN XRAY. PATIENT HAS NOT HAD TETANUS SHOT, AT THIS POINT HE IS PAST INCUBATION PERIOD, BUT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND GIVING THE SHOT AT THIS TIME? COMPLAINING OF A GREAT DEAL OF PAIN?
Hello, Welcome to Chat Doctor, There is no point in giving tetanus injection after a period of three weeks, for this patient you can give tetanus immunoglobulin, which is a ready made antibodies which helps to combat the tetanus spores from releasing the toxins like tetanospasmin and tetanolysin.These patients symptoms look like having cellulitis of the finger and requires broad spectrum antibiotics like Tab Augmenting, twice daily for 5 days, which will act on the staph and strep infection and control the symptoms. Thank you.