posted on Mar, 6 2010 @ 08:40 PM
Some years ago, I recieved a severe laceration to the web of my hand between my thumb and forefinger. It was very deep, to the center of my hand, but
missed every major nerve and artery. I recal the doctor saying as he stitched me up that he was leaving alot of space( over a quarter of an inch in
some places) for such a deep wound to "weep" or drain infected fluids. The muscle between my thumb and forefinger was completely and cleanly
severed, and the Doctor stated that it is useless to stitch muscle as it's "like stitching hamburger".
Of course several liters of saline solution were used to "flush" the wound along with a few ounces of alcohol before the sutures, but time proved
the Doc correct when I noticed large clumps of clear, hard, infectious fluid buildup at the wide spaces between the sutures.
I was also on antibiotic medication during my recovery, and told not to get my wound wet for two weeks.(sterile alcohol wipe, but no water)
It is my assumption that flushing a wound with saline solution(contact lense care) then rubbing alcohol, then sterile sutures (needle by fire and
dental floss even), leaving enough space for the wound to "weep", and reluctance to saturate the wound with water, ALONG with some type of
antibiotic herb (help me out somebody) you should be able to take care of most injuries requiring just sutures.
On a side note, the Dr. checked for nerve damage by bending a paperclip into two points, between 1 half and 1 qurter inch apart, and applying pressure
to the affected area, and proceded to ask me(of course I wasn't allowd to peek) "1 or 2". One end or two. If I got the 1 half inch ones right, we
proceded to the 1 quarter inch ones. If I got most of them right, no significant nerve damage.