super glue in first aid kit?

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Sailingsaves

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Do you carry it?

I hope to add it to my kit soon (unless a doctor on here says NO).

Liquid plasters fall off.

Cut myself camping this summer whilst pitching tent, only small but deep enough for stiches, no time for A&E, so cinched finger joint closed, germaline and then super glue. Months later all seems ok.

Realise it is only an emergency first aid stop gap, but just wondered if others use it and if I step on someone elses boat it would be nice to know they had it on board, because who carries curved needles and surgical thread?
 
Ive used it many times and would recommend it to anyone for a small wound. I dont apply too much though, and certainly dont use any activator. My word it hurt when I sprayed kicker (activator) onto the glue to set it faster. The heat given off was incredible!!
 
I find it's the only thing that works for cuts on finger-ends and other places which you can't avoid flexing. Keeps the insides nice and clean, preventing infection.
 
Super link thanks.

The thing I don't understand from what I have read about stitching is that the needle needs to pull the 2 pieces of meat together deep down, not just seal the cut at the top or else a gap is created at base of wound.

So a 10mm deep cut, stitches are supposed to go down 5mm and up to surface but super glue will not seal the 10mm down (at least I never allow super glue near blood in case of toxins _ I fill wound with germaline and seal over it with super glue so I am still only sealing the surface.

But I could have been wrong about what I read regarding stitching.

chasroberts said:
Reasonable article here:

http://www.realfirstaid.co.uk/superglue/

Worth a read and in an emergency anything which stops excessive blood loss can't be all bad?

Chas
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Superglue was developped by the US military as a field dressing substitute for stitching very serious wounds, can't see any problem othere than half the product now being sold simpy doesn't stick (to anything).

Rob.
 
I carry those. Depends upon quaility _ the last ones supplied by a hospital for me to re-dress a wound did not stick but fell off.

They would not have helped in my finger case because of awkward angle of wound.

They wouldn't have helped today (deepish circular wound on finger _ I just placed germaline over it and then covered that with glue to keep germaline in place for 24 hours plus (although the darn glue is coming off now _ was locktite brand too _ plasters keep falling off by the way.

prv said:
How do steri-strips compare? I have lots of those in my first-aid kit, but no glue.

Pete
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gadget user said:
The thing I don't understand from what I have read about stitching is that the needle needs to pull the 2 pieces of meat together deep down, not just seal the cut at the top or else a gap is created at base of wound.
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I believe you're correct. Here's a section from the Ship Captain's Medical Guide:

http://www.dft.gov.uk/mca/mcga-shs_capt_guide_chap4.pdf

The drawings on page 73 (as per the printed page numbers, not the 73rd page in the PDF file) show two basic suture stitches, designed to pull the whole wound together rather than just the skin.

Pete
 
prv said:
How do steri-strips compare? I have lots of those in my first-aid kit, but no glue.

Pete
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I find Steri-Strips superb. The only problem is that they must be kept dry (you wet them to remove them!). Incidentally they are precisely half the cost (inc postage) on Ebay compared to our local chemist .... and with a much later use-by date.
 
My scalp was stitched with superglue by A&E after a nasty car accident.

The clever bit was that the doc took a twist of hair from each side of the cut, twisted them together to close the gap and finished with a drop of glue on the hair and skin.

I tried to use it when I stabbed my hand a few years ago. No use, too much blood and had to get that stitched.

Plasters are generally useless for men doing men things. Insulating tape and clean toilet tissue works well, and stays on during the post work shower.
 
I used "medical" superglue many times when working as a GP. It was coloured purple but worked exactly the same. As mentioned not very good if bleeding quickly. Apply pressure to the wound to stop bleeding, then hold the wound edges together as neatly as you can and apply the glue along the wound. Two pairs of hands is easier, I nearly always had a nurse to assist. :)
Don't mess around with ointments first, it may prevent the glue from working properly.

It is brilliant for children as it is quick and painless.

Steristrips are also good, especially if the wound tends to gape as you can apply tension to bring the edges together.

Deep wounds that may involve underlying tissue layers or muscle may need proper suturing to ensure that all layers are closed. As do wounds where the bleeding won't stop with simple pressure.

I would carry both in an ideal first aid kit.
 
rob2 said:
Superglue was developped by the US military as a field dressing substitute for stitching very serious wounds, can't see any problem othere than half the product now being sold simpy doesn't stick (to anything).

Rob.
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+1, The original use was for hideous large wound repairs in field situations, these guys were effectively gluing hamburger meat together. Great stuff for any 1st aid box !
 
As a Paramedic I use both Steristrips and glue regularly and have both on the boat and in my car kit. Glue is great for most cuts as are Steristrips but knowing which to use is really down to practice and experience. As a rule of thumb, for a straight, clean laceration, easy to get at, I would use glue. For something jagged, it's sometime easier and more efficient to pull the tissues together with Steristrips, starting in the centre and working out. Before opting for one over the other, either get some practice/training, or carry both for that "out there, on your own" situation. Yes, there is medical glue and regular superglue but, in practice and certainly in an emergency, it's the same stuff.
 
boguing said:
My scalp was stitched with superglue by A&E after a nasty car accident.

The clever bit was that the doc took a twist of hair from each side of the cut, twisted them together to close the gap and finished with a drop of glue on the hair and skin.

I tried to use it when I stabbed my hand a few years ago. No use, too much blood and had to get that stitched.

Plasters are generally useless for men doing men things. Insulating tape and clean toilet tissue works well, and stays on during the post work shower.
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But if it is a bad wound or bleeding heavily do not remove the tightly wrapped insulation tape dressing until you get to A&E - the wound without pressure may well re-open
 
I (still) use superglue(the official stuff) and steristrips. When doing more complex cuts (esp. On face), I use steristrips to bring edges together, then dab the glue on the cut both between the strips and on the steristrips themselves- works very well and see no reason why the same couldn't be used with ordinary superglue for emergencies on board (wish I had this on my boat when I nearly sliced the top off my index when closing a bosun's knife a couple of years ago(don't ask).

Simon
 
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