Wound Closure Strips: Who Needs Stiches??

[CloudsRest]

I just have to say that if any of you don't have a box of wound closure strips handy, you should get some. They are about $5 for a box of 20 and work so much better than butterfly sutures (and even super glue in my experience). I've used them to close multiple nasty wounds that would have otherwise needed stitches, and they have worked perfectly.

Just last night I was testing out an Old Hickory slicer that was a project of mine on some veggies, and it was about as sharp as 1095 can get. I'm not used to trailing points, and most of my kitchen knives have Wharncliffe-style blades, so naturally I stabbed and sliced the tip of my finger open on the the 3rd or 4th slice. Hit the bone and opened it like a scalpel. Before the girlfriend could insist on driving me to the hospital, I closed it with wound closure strips and covered them with a bandaid for concealment. It worked perfectly 16 hours later and it hasn't shed a drop of blood or even hinted at opening back up.

Wound closure strips really do belong in every first aid kit. They have proven to be some of the most useful pieces in my wilderness first aid kit next to ibuprofen, take up as much space a as a notecard, weigh almost nothing, and are cheap.

 

[gadgetgeek]

They are very good, a couple of thoughts though, if you are not religious about cleaning that wound, or know that its very clean, you are sealing in a potential infection, in your case, a clean cut while cutting probably cleaned veggies, not a big deal. Day two in the bush without running water, different matter.

Often people who have not had them work well did not use an anchoring strip on each side, it really does make a difference. And if dampness is a problem benzoin (friar's balsam) really makes them stick. But if they are enough to hold a wound shut, then they are far better than anything else. the faster a wound can be sealed, the better it will heal. you can also cover over with an op-site or other clear non-permeable dressing if the wound is not bleeding.

 

[CloudsRest]

Good point about using one as an anchoring strip on either side--it really does help a lot. Also good point about keeping it clean. Out of 15 or so injuries in the wilderness, I've had good luck rinsing with clear fast flowing water, using antibiotic ointment, and cleaning around the wound with hand sanitizer and changing the bandages every night before bed. Most of these injuries were from falling on rocks and a few were from knives and fish hooks, but it's worth mentioning none of them were more than 1/4" deep or a couple inches long. Anything really big or deep would probably not respond so well without returning to civilization for better treatment.

 

[gadgetgeek]

Another factor is that some people just don't get infected cuts. I sure don't seem to, but I've seen other folks who a slight abrasion is infected within what seems to be hours, so caution always pays. The main thing is to monitor it which is easy if you are using clear bandages (like op-site) or doing a dressing change, and then getting it dealt with quickly, its rare that an infection "gets better" without also doing some damage, better to just get it sorted before its a gaping ulcer.

I used steri-stips to close the eyebrow of a little (maybe 6yr old?) girl after she bumped her head on a sharp counter corner. By the time her parents came to get her and went to hospital, they were told that it was as good as it could be, and either glue or stitches would likely leave more of a scar. since it would need to be re-opened. As far as I know it healed up just fine. had it closed within maybe 10 minutes of the injury. And way less stress than a needle for her!

 

[M. McCord]

Steri Strips and benzoin when applied properly can be a great substitute to sutures.
My mother cut her thumb almost to the bone. I was prepped to suture it (one layer 2-0 Vicryl sub Q, then a 4-0 Vicryl on the surface).
She was adamant that I not suture it. So that left benzoin and steri strips.
Would was irrigated with betadine then closed.
After healing the scar was barely noticeable.

 

[Monofletch]

I have used 100 mile an hour tape D) and super glue when our med kit was out of Steri strips. Nothing beats that kind of wound care IF you can get it cleaned quickly.