I field dressed a laceration using preps in my BOB today.

[milehi]

First off, this was just a flesh wound due to improper tool use. I elected not to go to the ER for various reasons, and instead pulled my BOB from my trunk.

It was too deep (.25"+) for Durabond(superglue). Too small to bother opening a sterile skin stapler. But perfect for two sutures. Because of the proximity of the wound, I decided to go with vicryl 3-0.

I didn't want to waste any of my zylocaine stores, so I didn't use a local. I scrubbed the wound with betadine, then flushed it with saline. I then went to work on it. The betadine stung more than suturing the wound. I don't think I did too bad a job for being one handed.

I'll probably prescribe myself some antibiotics.

I love home surgury.

[solid]

I've never had to stitch myself up, but looks to me like you did a fine job. Is two stitches enough?

Glad to hear you are OK.

[osoab]

Where did you get your sutures from?

Pretty kick ass too.

[milehi]

The medial side of the wound isn't too deep, and should be joined within a day. I was using a 1" osteotome(orthopedic chisel) as a prybar. As soon as it slipped into my palm, I was already cussing myself out.

[milehi]

Where did you get your sutures from?

Pretty kick ass too.

You can get sutures and suture kits off ebay. For field dressing I carry 2-0, 3-0 and 4-0.

[MNeagle]

Nice work!

[hoarder]

I had a gum graft a while back and had a bad infection 2 days later. Are sutures made in China nowadays?

[EE_]

Glad you got the meaty part of your hand and not your wrist!
Ya did good on the sewing job!
If you're working a lot with sharp tools, you might want to consider some cut proof gloves?

[big country]

I was home sutured once. As a young teen, I was hit in the face with a potato cannon and it left a nasty cut above my eye, right in my eyebrow.
We were about 2000ft from the house (seemed like 10 miles). I had blood actually dripping from my face. I had to hold my head out and look down while walking to keep the blood from dripping on my expensive "designer" jacket (I was useless as a teen and thought I "needed" that stuff).

We were at a friends house and she was a nurse that had sutures on hand (I had never seen anything like that before). She sewed me up as good as the hospital for free. I need to learn to do that.

All said and done my American Eagle ball cap had blood all over it. I was bummed but wore that hat until it ripped at the seams. Wore the blood as a badge of honor on it!


Also, looks like you did a good job on the sewing. Any special training or techniques to it or do you just sew it up like you would sew a hole in a pair of jeans?

[milehi]

Any special training or techniques to it or do you just sew it up like you would sew a hole in a pair of jeans?

Here's a nice tutorial.

In this article, the suture techniques used in cutaneous surgery are reviewed. The techniques of suture placement for each type of stitch are described, the rationale for choosing one suture technique over another are reviewed, and the advantages and disadvantages of each suture technique are discussed. Frequently, more than one suture technique is needed for optimal closure of a wound. After reading this article, the reader should have an understanding of how and why particular sutures are chosen and an appreciation of the basic methods of placing each type of suture

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1824895-overview

[mightymanx]

In the service we practiced on pigs feet (non pickeled)

The pigs feet skin is very similar to human and they don't smack you in the jaw when you screw up.

[ximmy]

It's just a flesh wound...
2119

[EE_]

definately going to order a suture kit