Sliced finger open.

Hey Ashtray · February 2010

Hey guys yesterday I sliced the inside of my index finger open along the inside of the first knuckle. It was pretty bad, but I didn't really think that stitches were necessary, I bandaged it up, after cleaning it out, and it seemed to stop seeping through the bandaids. So, 24 hours later I removed the bandages, and while it has healed up tenuously along some of it, the deepest part is still bleeding (albeit much slower than yesterday). I've dressed the wound again now.

Obviously I should've gone to get stitches, I misjudged how bad the wound was, but what I'm wondering is if there's any point in going 24h after the fact, and if not, will this thing heal up on it's own? Thanks guys!

edit: oh yeah, I'm fairly sure that it was the removal of the bandaids that may have opened up the wound a little bit, just because now matter how you do it, it tugs the skin near the cut. Should I be using gauze instead?

Beasteh · February 2010

go see a doctor about stitches

edit: asked my cousins' husband who is a surgeon, he says yes to gauze and put some antibiotic ointment on it - it won't necessarily make it heal faster, but it will make it less painful

Iceman.USAF · February 2010

Unless you start getting a nasty (visually or functionally) scar, I'd say you're ok. Not a doctor though, so take it for what its worth.

Forbe! · February 2010

You'll probably will be okay, but if the wound is still bleeding it is worth a doctors visit, especially for a deep wound. The risk of infection is large and it would be worth having a trained professional look at it, not anecdotal internet experiences.

saltiness · February 2010

On a side note, has anyone ever used a suture kit? I'm thinking about buying one because last time I sliced open my finger I spent $50 and 5 hours waiting in the ER to get three stitches. I'd be willing to suck up the pain if it meant saving myself an ER trip.

Improvolone · February 2010

Crazy glue first, geezus.

dlinfiniti · February 2010

for something like that if you want to see a doctor and since you've waited already, theres no need to go to an emergency room, go to an urgent care clinic or make an appointment with your pcp, it'll likely be cheaper and faster for you
though if you take care of it right, it should be ok

saltiness · February 2010

Improvolone wrote: »

Crazy glue first, geezus.

I actually consulted the internet for that when I cut my finger but there were a lot of warnings about blood poisoning from certain kinds of crazy glue. That turned me off from the idea.

Mom2Kat · February 2010

Eh there is a lot of skill in knowing how to tie the right knots, the placement to reduce scarring and stuff. I would just buy a bottle of Krazy Glue and keep that on hand. In fact a lot of hospitals will use it when the cut is in a tight place or just on the edege of needing stiches. I actually perfer to use Krazy glue for cuts on fingers. It keeps water out and you can ignore it untill it grows out.

Improvolone · February 2010

saltiness wrote: »

Improvolone wrote: »

Crazy glue first, geezus.

I actually consulted the internet for that when I cut my finger but there were a lot of warnings about blood poisoning from certain kinds of crazy glue. That turned me off from the idea.

I'm sure someone sells liquid stitches then.

Thanatos · February 2010

I don't think they'll even use stitches 24 hours after the fact; they're for, like, relatively fast treatment, and not something that they'll put in much later due to fear of infection. Personally, I'd probably suck it up, but how good is your insurance?

Also, I am not a doctor.

Hey Ashtray · February 2010

I'm in Canada, so everything is free, but the price we pay is insane hours in the walk in clinics, and I don't have a doctor in this city, I just moved here. Obviously if this doesn't improve I'll sit in the clinic forever, but I couldn't do that yesterday, as much as in retrospect, I probably should have.

Zeon · February 2010

Improvolone wrote: »

saltiness wrote: »

Improvolone wrote: »

Crazy glue first, geezus.

I actually consulted the internet for that when I cut my finger but there were a lot of warnings about blood poisoning from certain kinds of crazy glue. That turned me off from the idea.

I'm sure someone sells liquid stitches then.

Use regular brand Krazy Glue that you can get literally at any store. I think its like 3 dollars at walmart or 5 dollars at your local corner store. Dont use the cheap chinese offbrands because yes, theyre probably made from all sorts of deadly chemicals.

For a cut to the finger, depending on where its located (inside/outside/top/bottom), the doctor/hospital might just use krazy glue anyway. The last couple times my dad has gone in for "stitches", they just ended up gluing it shut. Its easier for for awkward cuts and its also saves a follow up visit to get the stitches removed, since the glue eventually just degrades away.

Demerdar · February 2010

Hey Ashtray wrote: »

Hey guys yesterday I sliced the inside of my index finger open along the inside of the first knuckle. It was pretty bad, but I didn't really think that stitches were necessary, I bandaged it up, after cleaning it out, and it seemed to stop seeping through the bandaids. So, 24 hours later I removed the bandages, and while it has healed up tenuously along some of it, the deepest part is still bleeding (albeit much slower than yesterday). I've dressed the wound again now.

Obviously I should've gone to get stitches, I misjudged how bad the wound was, but what I'm wondering is if there's any point in going 24h after the fact, and if not, will this thing heal up on it's own? Thanks guys!

edit: oh yeah, I'm fairly sure that it was the removal of the bandaids that may have opened up the wound a little bit, just because now matter how you do it, it tugs the skin near the cut. Should I be using gauze instead?

Yeah, I've had a few cuts in the past that were still bleeding 24 hours after I bandaged it. At this point, if you feel comfortable with a scar there, you might as well just try and butterfly bandaid it and let it heal on its own. Probably should have gotten stitches, but they are not always necessary.

Hey Ashtray · February 2010

Yeah I don't really care about a scar. I guess this thread is done, I'll look at it tomorrow morning and I mean, if it's STILL bleeding I'll go down and see someone. I'm not into glue-ing it myself, but I've had my head glued shut so I know it works. Thanks for the reassurance, that was mostly what I was looking for,

Peter Principle · February 2010

It appears the main component of Superglue/Krazyglue is ethylcyanoacrylate. The worst problem associated with this chemical is that it is a skin irritant (and I speak from experience when I say it apparently is not a universal irritator). There also might be a problem if the compound uses methyl alcohol, which can generate tissue-damaging heat. The medical grade 'superglue' lengthens the aliphatic chain and apparently this reduces the skin irritation potential, and also does not use methyl alcohol. I think the consequences of using commercial grade superglue are minor enough that you could try it, and if you experience symptoms just keep in mind to use the medical grade stuff in the future.

Krazyglue/ethylcyanoacrylate MSDSs

http://www.krazyglue.com/products/msds/mkg0583_a.htm
http://msds.chem.ox.ac.uk/ET/ethyl_cyanoacrylate.html

An interesting article on medical use of the cyanoacrylates.

http://www.miracleglue.com/wounds.htm

Hey Ashtray · February 2010

Haha, if I can't even prepare my food with a knife without hurting myself, I'm sure as hell not going to glue myself back together. I'll let my platelets do their thing.

PracticalProblemSolver · February 2010

saltiness wrote: »

On a side note, has anyone ever used a suture kit? I'm thinking about buying one because last time I sliced open my finger I spent $50 and 5 hours waiting in the ER to get three stitches. I'd be willing to suck up the pain if it meant saving myself an ER trip.

A few friends and I tried a suture kit on someone who sliced his hand up out in the woods. It did not go well. I would put money on you being unable to sew your own hand up even if you could do a good job on someone else. I've used superglue on myself to good effect though.

Robman · February 2010

Doctors spend a lot of time perfecting the fine art of suturing flesh. It's difficult.

Hey Ashtray · February 2010

Well, bleeding has stopped completely, the wound is still a little bit open, but the blood has clotted and it just looks like a normal cut now. I'm looking forward to being able to straighten the finger without opening the cut again, but I'll wait a couple days to try that, haha.

Thanks all.

Fats · February 2010

Robman wrote: »

Doctors spend a lot of time perfecting the fine art of suturing flesh. It's difficult.

Having done it a bit (not on actual patients, just some cadavers and one quite patient doctor), the actual act isn't that difficult, it's doing it in a good looking/non-scarring way. That's what takes years of practice.

On a side note, has anyone ever used a suture kit? I'm thinking about buying one because last time I sliced open my finger I spent $50 and 5 hours waiting in the ER to get three stitches. I'd be willing to suck up the pain if it meant saving myself an ER trip.

The superglue idea is a better one, but if it's a deep cut and you're in a situation where you can't or won't go to the hospital, you're better off leaving it open unless you can absolutely get it clean. Pack, cover, tape.

Midshipman · February 2010

Wow. 20 Responses and nobody even mentioned butterfly bandages?

Seriously, butterfly bandages are the home version of stitches.

http://www.utahmountainbiking.com/firstaid/bandage.htm#Laceration Closure

Demerdar · February 2010

Midshipman wrote: »

Wow. 20 Responses and nobody even mentioned butterfly bandages?

Seriously, butterfly bandages are the home version of stitches.

http://www.utahmountainbiking.com/firstaid/bandage.htm#Laceration Closure

Demerdar wrote:

butterfly bandaid it

Midshipman · February 2010

Sorry. I missed that.

Slider · February 2010

Improvolone wrote: »

Crazy glue first, geezus.

What kind of glue do hospitals use?

Raneados · February 2010

Slider wrote: »

Improvolone wrote: »

Crazy glue first, geezus.

What kind of glue do hospitals use?

crazy glue

Edith Upwards · February 2010

A. Liquid Skin

B.Glucose, brown sugar. And a sunlamp.

Penny Arcade

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