Medical - being able to irrigate a wound and close it using surgical staples

[ATCclears]

WARNING: This posting is not valid medical advice. I have no medical training. I simply summarized my limited research for your convenience. Any of your personal decisions and actions are still your responsibility.

The purpose of this posting is to summarize what I reviewed and then purchased to help treat injuries after a SHTF event, and specifically wounds likely requiring sutures or staples.

First, I started with this video on using a surgical stapler to close a hypothetical wound. The video uses the severed foot from a dead pig, so be warned if you're squeamish.
Emergency use of Surgical Stapler - YouTube

In a SHTF situation, my preference will be a surgical stapler given its relative ease of use. This strategy may not work for a really deep wound that might require an internal level of dissolving sutures.

One must also cleanse and irrigate the wound before closing it. Here are two videos. I'm sure you can find more on YouTube.
AMP-3 iFAK - Irrigation Module Demonstration - YouTube
How to Irrigate a Wound (Emergency Version for "The Survival Doctor's Guide to Wounds") «

So, here is what I have acquired to enhance my medical supplies:

http://astore.amazon.com/instantg-20
- The Survival Doctor's guide to Wounds. You want to learn about when it is NOT appropriate to suture or staple a wound.
- Gloves. Check the size.
- Sterile, surgical staplers. You should throw away the stapler after you use it.
- Surgical staple remover. Yeah, you'll need this.
- Alcohol pads and Betadine pads. I bought both.
- Irrigation syringes. You might choose different sizes.

I hope this helps. Again, I have NO medical training. I'm just trying to be a bit more prepared in the event that a family member, friend, or neighbor is injured after an earthquake or other SHTF situation.

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[ATCclears]

Adding this document I just found...
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6GE42-kvADvMmM2ZDA0Y2ItM2NiYS00YzVjLTgyYTAtYWExMmUzNjczZDc1

Peter

 

[PX4WA]

As noted above, unless bleeding is a major issue, closing a dirty wound can lead to infection...

Also you can only staple shallow wounds... Deep wounds may need suturing of the soft tissue before stapling the skin

Having steri strips and dermabond or medical grade superglue is useful for small cuts...

 

[chemist]

Gunshot wounds have a bad habit of carrying fabric from a clothed target into the wound. Every last shred of that clothing fiber has to be out of there before the wound is closed.

 

[Kevatc]

WARNING: This posting is not valid medical advice. I have no medical training. I simply summarized my limited research for your convenience.

Not valid medical advice: check.

No medical training: check

Limited research: check

I am actively involved in a medical profession and I can say in 25 years worth of dealing with a variety of trauma a stapler is meant for closing superficial wounds like scalp lac's and post-surgical incisions.

Having steri strips and dermabond or medical grade superglue is useful for small cuts...

Dermabond is expensive and has a shelf life. Nothing like reaching for a Dermabond and seeing its congealed. Last I checked it's $30+ per vial. Plain old super glue wors fine. I've used it on me and my dogs. Works good. Just use it correctly.

 

[ATCclears]

Kevatc, thx. Any other input/guidance on irrigation or other?

Peter

 

[mosinguy]

I love super glue and duct tape!!!! the best part is it is easy to fit in a first aid kit.

 

[AMProducts]

Instead of reading about training on the internet, take an EMT-B course... Traumatic injury, the thing most "preppers" are concerned with is the easy part of rendering medical aid. Looking for signs of infection, pediatric and geriatric conditions which are substantially more likely to result in a slow painful death than traumatic injuries.

In general, wounds are broken up into several types, open/closed, and clean/dirty wounds. Except in a clinical environment, you should not close a wound with staples or stitches, as a wound that is not properly cleaned (and even many that are properly cleaned) will become infected, and will need treatment with oral antibiotics, or may need to be re-opened and debrided.

If you havn't already, I highly recommend "where there is no doctor" available as a PDF here:
Books and Resources | Hesperian Health Guides

The people who generated this material have actually used these methods to heal themselves and other people.

Either way, GO GET MORE TRAINING!

 

[ATCclears]

AMP, I'd love to... but life currently gets in the way of me doing that much training.

Peter

 

[Kevatc]

Kevatc, thx. Any other input/guidance on irrigation or other?

Peter

Hibiclens. I rarely use peroxide except to get blood out of clothing. Peroxide, Betadine (iodine solution) can be pretty tissue toxic. Hibiclens is not only a good handwash/surgical scrub but has a several hours of residual germ killing effect even after being rinsed. Basic eye wash can be used to irrigate anything.

 

[AMProducts]

AMP, I'd love to... but life currently gets in the way of me doing that much training.

Peter

Your local ComCollege should have a night class, having the skills is more important than having stuff. However, to pass, you need to VERY dedicated to it, these classes have an absurdly high wash-out rate. Out of 120 people that started, a little over 40 people took the final, and 25 passed.

 

[ATCclears]

Thx, I'll check into that with a few colleges. My challenge is simply time with the family, bit of property, day job, a side business, and attempting to prep.

Peter

 

[nwdrifter]

here is a good vid
Field Wound Care - Tips for surviving a severe wounds away from medical care - YouTube