 |
 |
Steristrips cannot provide any significant force against haematoma formation. Remember, creating excessive pressure within a wound is bad practice as it causes necrosis. That is the reason that if you must suture fingers you should use 5/0 or finer as it cuts out rather than cause an iatrogenic compartment syndrome. As I promised, I have looked out some relevant images from my image bank (all patients gave consent for these pictures to be taken and used widely in an educational context) to show what happens to steristrips after a few days. Note how the central area looks soggy and loose as the swelling present at the time of application has disappeared, leaving a wound healing by secondary intention and flapping, useless Steristrips. I also didn't know that you could be allergic to Steristrips until I saw it. > *From:* Adrian Fogarty <[log in to unmask]> > *To:* [log in to unmask] > *Date:* Wed, 14 Feb 2007 00:44:03 -0000 > > I note the author of the learned paper ended with the words "The > technique should be used with caution in areas of the body that are > subject to tension." Hmmm...there goes the premise of the paper then. > > I think you also seem to forget the pressure/splinting effects of > steristrips particularly over a convex surface. Widely applied > pressure is paramount when it comes to prevention of haematoma > formation, moulding of wound edges, and control of scar stretching. > Glue provides no such niceties. As you say yourself, it merely "spot > welds" the edges. And when the edges are "welded" together thus, ergo > the physician feels he's done a great job. But he misses the welling > haematoma beneath the wound flaps... > > One thing I can tell you, I don't think I'll take my wound management > advice from "scientific papers" if they're anything like Quinn's work > or the like, including Shapiro's piggy paper. > > AF > /Rowley./