Posted: 4/9/2007 7:52:46 AM EDT
| As far as closing sutures would it be ok to use these on humans? I have the two prong gun and have stapled dogs that got a little to close to some bears. The hounds also can get some pretty good gashes, get stapled and it;s like nothing ever happened in a week. They are small and plastic and pretty sturdy. I'm carrying one in my car and probably should have in my bob. there is also a puller to pull the staples after a couple of weeks or so. I didn't do it last time but should of probably packed the wound with some kind of antibiotic. any thoughts |
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Honestly, I don't know. Whenever I ask my sister about things like sutures/lancing etc. she pretty much looks at me in horror and tells me not to even try anything like that without very thorough training. Some nonsense about me making it worse by hacking at wounds with a hot needle and some dental floss. Pfft, I think she's a worry wart. 
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Been there.... I think in the field, when there's nothing else available and qualified help is many miles and minutes away you do what you have to, use what you have to to control an injury situation until something better can be attained. But this is ONLY in cases of absolute emergency. Don't know if I'd go with a staple, though. Needle and dental floss would probably work better. Maybe there's an ER Doc that frequents the board that could answer better. |
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The general rule with pretty much any sort of wound closure is that it has to bring the wound edges together for the entire surface of the wound. The staplers are great for shallow wounds. For instance, wounds on the scalp. Docs love to use these things inside the hair line, as they are quick, you know the wound is only so deep (barring a skull fracture, of course!) and cosmetic appearance is not an issue. Sometimes they use them after major surgery, too, but what you don't see is all the absorbable suture the surgeon placed beneath the staples bringing the wound edges together from the bottom of the wound up. If you close up the top of the wound, but not the bottom, there is a dead space where there is little circulation, and it's nice and moist and warm: The perfect breeding ground for bacteria or even barring a bacterial infection, a sterile abscess can form. If you can't bring the wound edges together from the bottom to the top, you are better off just leaving it alone (aside from keeping it clean) and letting the wound heal by granulating in from the bottom to the top of the wound. Makes a big scar and is slower to heal, but it beats a nasty infection that can turn to sepsis. So: Staples are great for shallow wounds, but like anything else, you have to know what you are doing before you put them in. Stay Safe, AGreyMan ETA: Don't forget to get a staple remover, too. They are a lot easier and quicker than trying to remove surgical staples with a pair of wirecutters and a needlenose pliers! |
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