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Old 06-23-2008, 13:39   #49
Surgicalcric
Quiet Professional
 
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Wherever my ruck finds itself
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Quote:
Originally Posted by VXMerlinXV View Post
I checked out the mini rolls and I think that is just what the doctor ordered. Other than a sensitivity to adhesive, I do not see a lot of downsides to using duct tape as opposed to medical tape.
I have been using duct tape for years in the civilian world for MCI's... Its cheap, works and there is always ample suppliy...


Quote:
Hemostatic agents: Quick clot, Arista, etc. I think, barring some major advances, these are going to go the way of PASG/MAST quickly. The exothermic reaction is a definite factor, but more than that we were discussing research at work the other day which shows the products do not reliably stop arterial bleeding, which is the whole point. The Quickclot ACS negates the point of the clotting agent, this role is already filled with surgifoam or surgicel. The best I see for these products is large raw peripheral wounds, and these lend themselves to dressings, not powders. I think they can be cut from the kit all together...
You may need to do a lil research on the effectiveness of hemostatic agents outside the confines of the ER/ED or civilian EMS. Out here where bright lights and cold steel may be more than a day away Hemostatic agents have saved many lives and the benefits are more than a fair trade for the little weight.

Surgifoam/surgicel has its place in the spectrum of care. Replacing QC, Hemcon, etc in the combat setting isnt it...

Quote:
Bulk gauze: I know the big wounds require a lot of dressing. But I am looking at the time/treatment ratio, the time it would take to use the majority of one of these IFAKs could be better spent transporting the casualty. I would say one good pressure dressing and one other dressing (ABD pad) should cover needs for the “Care under fire” phase....
The application of a TQ is all thats indicated for the CUF phase. Pressure dressings and bandaging will be taken care of after fire superiority is gained, the objective cleared or as otherwise indicated or directed. There are many instances where packing wounds is indicated and the use of liberal amounts of kerlix/kling is necessary. I prefer wound packing to wound covering generally.

Quote:
Tourniquet: I like the idea of keeping them even more easily accessible than the IFAK. A small dedicated pouch with a tourniquet eliminates digging when you need one. I have always been partial to an inflated BP cuff for this function. There is a quantifiable amount of pressure, and you can slowly deflate the cuff after treating the wound to see if your intervention has reliably stopped the bleeding. I think one is enough for the individual to carry. You have to figure one limb can be controlled by the cuff, a second can be controlled with a pressure dressing, and if you have a third limb with an exanguinating wound you should either consider being kind and opening up the aidbag, or rest assured that one the patients systolic pressure hits 80 most of the the bleeding will stop all on it's own...
A BP cuff is considerably larger than a TQ and as such would add bulk to the IFAK and weight too. One TQ is also NEVER enough. Two is one, one is none and sometimes more are needed...

We carry one in the IFAK and one on the soldiers centerline. I have extras in my aidbag and a couple stashed on my vest...


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Last edited by Surgicalcric; 06-23-2008 at 13:51.
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