What is the preferred cleaning agent recommended for irrigating a minor wound to flush out debris?
Answer
Sterile saline solution
Modern first aid protocols strongly favor non-cytotoxic methods when cleaning injuries to protect delicate healing tissue. For situations where simple washing is insufficient, and deeper debris requires flushing, sterile saline solution is the agent of choice. Saline is fundamentally salt water formulated to match the osmotic concentration of the body's own fluids. This isotonic property allows it to effectively cleanse foreign materials and irritants from the wound bed without causing cellular damage, swelling, or osmotic stress to the cells that are attempting to initiate the repair process.
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