Cut my head open...

[JGarcia]

How do I know if I need stitches?

Its sunday, I'm in the back yard cutting a rather large branch off of an oak tree, I make my three cuts, then get off the ladder to let it fall, but its not moving, so I reach in and grab the end of the branch, and pull, it snaps, but I cant get out of the way fast enough, wammo, right on the right side of my head, knocked me down, I knew I was clobbered good, so I reached up and my hand was bloody, I felt around real good, nothing broken, just bloody, .. I've got an ice pack on my head right now, should I go get stitches or do I need them or?

Shit happens. guess its not too bad, my brother the 91W said he'd check it out later, he's shopping...

[Sdiver]

Couple of basic questions...

Do you have any blurred or double vision?
Do you feel dizzy or nauseous in any way?
Do you have any pain any where else...ie, neck, shoulder, back?
Do you have any tingling in your arms or legs?
Do you have any slurred speech? Can you say the following...."You can't teach an old dog new tricks." without sounding like a drunk?
Can you see what your pupils look like, by looking in a mirror? Does one look bigger, or smaller than the other?

If you can answer yes to any of the above, you might want to get checked out.

If not, it may just sound like, as you said, "clobbered yourself pretty good."

There are a lot of blood vessels in the head/scalp area, so even a small lacerations will bleed profusely. So that may be way you're seeing "lots" of blood.

But even still, if you're not quit sure, and your brother is going to be late......go get it checked out. Your brain bucket is nothing to take lightly.

[swatsurgeon]

A few things......can wash with baby shampoo and water in the shower, or ivory soap.
Feel for foreign bodies...need to be removed if present.
If laceration present, is it fully through the skin layer and you can see yellow fat at the bottom or the hair follicles? If so, 3 choices:
1) get sutured...do not let them cut your hair, just use surgilube to flatten the hair away from the lac and suture with blue monofilament (proline suture...blue is easier to see and remove),
2) if your hair is long enough, take some on each side of the laceration and tie it in a knot, first apply antibiotic ointment,
3) ignore it, let it get infected and give the local surgeon some business.......

ss

[JGarcia]

So, my bro finished shopping, came over with his aid bag, and said; "you need stitches." He cleaned me up, put on a pressure dressing and took me to the urgent care, 13 staples later I'm back at the house. .... Always wear a helmet when cutting big assed branches.

[Kyobanim]

13 staples later I'm back at the house

Staples? Are they afraid you're brains are going to leak out?

On a more serious note . . .

What is the factor that determines if you will get staples or stitches?

[Eagle5US]

Originally Posted by Kyobanim

Staples? Are they afraid you're brains are going to leak out?

On a more serious note . . .

What is the factor that determines if you will get staples or stitches?

On a scalp wound staples are quick, easy, and effective. Unless you are a "bald head" model, the frankenscar is pretty irrelevant because of the mop that traditionally covers it. I tend to avoid staples in blacks due to the close hair styles that are popular in that population and their scar is more in the open.

Other very large wounds (C-section) can also be optionally closed with staples. If there is a significant scar concern, plastics guys get involved with scar revision processes and procedures.

In general, the "better" you want to scar to look, the smaller suture material you use (strength of the suture for the site of injury is also a factor here) and the more time it is going to take to close it.

There are also various techniques to minimize scarring. The best cosmetic result is always considered-but areas like the face are generally given more initial consideration.

example:
I sewed a guys eyelid back together the other day and used 7-0 suture-about the diameter (and strength) of a human hair.

General face stuff usually 6-0, (maybe 2lb test fishing line)

Cuts on arms and such, 4-0 suture, like 6lb test fishing line

Large gaping wounds of legs and scalp that can be primarily closed (after closing the inner layers with absorbable suture)-skin closure by staples or heavier suture (10-12lb test).

SS Feel free to jump in here and monkey stomp my approach if needed

PA

[lksteve]

Originally Posted by NG_M4_Shooter

.... Always wear a helmet when cutting big assed branches.

glad to hear you were cutting branches...i was afraid someone had erred and sent a cherry E7 the field grade do-it-yourself lobotomy kit...

[CoLawman]

Glad to hear you got stitched up and examined. Amigo, head injuries are nothing to ignore. I have many tales about bumps on the head that were ignored and resulted in death. Again glad you are fine!