After years of experience, I have several things that I have to have when repairing certain lacerations. From time to time, I will write about these and why they are so important. The first one that comes to mind is a finger tourniquet.
This simple device can make a world of difference when repairing finger or toe lacerations. As we all know, the fingers have a very rich nerve and blood supply. Finger lacerations bleed like stink! If your field of view is obscured by actively oozing blood, its near impossible to see what you are doing.
After performing a digital block, if warranted, you simply slide the silicone ring over the finger as far proximal as you can. You now have a bloodless field which allows you to evaluate for foreign bodies, bone, tendon, and joint capsule involvement. Furthermore, you can actually visualize the suture needle going through the tissue.
Once the repair is complete, make sure to snip the finger tourniquet off.
I get no financial support from this company, but have met the owners and viewed their factory. It’s a small family owned business in Michigan. Check out the company and the product here.
If you have an essential tool, comment down below. I am always looking for new tools to try out!
Sincerely,
Dr. Patrick O’Malley
The Laceration Course, Course Director
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Last Updated on May 11, 2023
Patrick O’Malley is an emergency physician and course director of The Laceration Course and The Abscess Course. Follow him bellow for more…
