First Aid Trauma Kit Contents

[usmcveteran]

I thought I would share my opinions on what I feel is minimum gear for a trauma Kit. This is based off the stuff I learned while taking a Tactical and System Collapse First aid course.
If you think I have forgotten anything please let me know.

Israeli Battle dressing:
Easy enough to put on yourself, stays on well and good coverage area.
http://www.amazon.com/Ever-Ready-Fir...mpressed+gauze

QuickClot Combat gauze:
Great for stopping bleeding where you can’t use a tournaquiet. This particular one has a metal strip sewn in that way it can be detected by X-Ray so its not accidentally lost inside of you. Its important to note that when using this you have to get it to come in contact with the bleeding site not just the blood. If you fail to do so you must remove it entirely and repack with a new one. These are expensive and I plan on getting about 4 of them.
http://www.amazon.com/Z-Medica-QuikC...t+combat+gauze

TK4 Tournequiet:
I liked this one the best for a couple of reasons. Its compact and light weight. It also will work on small children and dogs while others wont. I also felt that this felt the tightest when applied. Personally I plan on getting 2 to 4 of these.
http://www.amazon.com/H-Associates-T...tk4+tourniquet

Nitrile Gloves:
Good for people with a latex allergy.
http://www.amazon.com/Dynarex-Nitril...nitrile+gloves

Halo Chest Seals:
Good for sealing up holes in the chest.
http://www.amazon.com/HALO-Chest-Sea...ords=halo+seal

Duct tape:
Good for anything and limited only by your imagination.
http://www.amazon.com/Duck-1265013-C...ords=duct+tape

Trauma Shears:
Good for cutting clothing, bandages and tape.
http://www.amazon.com/Prestige-Medic...=trauma+shears

Gauze:
Good for wrapping wounds or packing wounds when needed.
http://www.amazon.com/First-Aid-Only...rds=roll+gauze


A couple things to remember as well though. Having gear is important but what is more important is know how to use it.

[Cgrutt]

Double up on the Israeli bandage and TQ. 2 NPA airways. Add triangle bandage or two and and some safety pins. Maybe throw in a tube of crazy glue?

More expanded list from Dark Angel Medical...
10 x bandaids
5 packs x 1/4”steri-strips
5 x Benzoin Tincture swabs
2 x Kerlix 4" Gauze
4 x Kerlix 3" Gauze
2 x 1" surgical tape
10 x 4x4 Gauze
10 x 2x2 gauze
5 x ABD Pads
4 x Compressed Gauze
2 x SAM Splint
4 x 4" Ace Wrap
1 x HALO XL
2 x HALO
1 x Eye Wash
1 x 6" Izzy
3 x 4" Izzy
2 x Space Blanket
2 x Cravats (Triangular Bandage)
1x 7.5" Trauma Shears
2 x QuikClot Combat Gauze LE
2 x Celox Rapid Ribbon
2 x CAT TQ
2x SWAT-T
10 pair x Nitrile Gloves
2 x NPA's
1 x Burn Gel
Vionex wipes x 10
Glucose x 1
After Bite x 1
Acetaminophen x 5 two packs
Ibuprofen x 5 two packs
Aspirin x 5 two packs
Sunscreen x 2 packs
Alcohol Pads x 10
Hand Sanitizer x 1
Triple antibiotic ointment x 5 packs

[thughes]

Minimum in each of my range bags is: quickclot, israeil bandage, and tournaquet.

[usmcveteran]

Also important to note that single antibiotic ointment is just as effective as triple antibiotic ointment with less chance of allergic reaction that may make you think the wound is infected when it actually isn't.

[usmcveteran]

Minimum in each of my range bags is: quickclot, israeil bandage, and tournaquet. Make sure that you don't use quickclot any anybody that is alergic to shellfish!!!! (thanks 'drew for the heads up)

The new QuickClot bandages you don't have to worry about it. The new bandages use a clay type substance that stops the bleeding. Did not know that about the old stuff though, good to know.

[Cgrutt]

Minimum in each of my range bags is: quickclot, israeil bandage, and tournaquet. Make sure that you don't use quickclot any anybody that is alergic to shellfish!!!! (thanks 'drew for the heads up)

If you need to use the quick clot I think alergic reactions would be a secondary concern, no?

[thughes]

Yeah, research shows it not really a problem, hence the edit

[usmcveteran]

Allergic reactions can kill you pretty quick as well though. Not sure but having to use an epi pen might create more bleeding issues with increased heart rate.

[Cgrutt]

All I'm saying is if you need to use a quick clot, chances are the recipient will be dead in a couple minutes with no treatment. At that point its better than bleeding out.

[usmcveteran]

Good point, if you run out of blood you have a 0% chance of survival vs probably better then that.

[Meketrefe]

Minimum in each of my range bags is: quickclot, israeil bandage, and tournaquet.

Very important in deed. Add to this a surgical kit with scaple, at least 3 hemoclamps, retractor, distiled water, saline solution, glucose, wash and sutures.
the key with this is to practice how to repair a major vessel or artery that might well mean saving life and limb.
Sometimes it can be very complex but sometimes is not but one must try ...

Put it back together Doc: [warning of graphic images]

You may notice that there are basically two end points for either veins or arteries: repair it or ligate it. There are many different technical/specific ways ether can be done, but those are beyond the scope of this answer. If the sight of open wounds bothers you, note I am going to start using actual surgical photos below.
When it's possible it's better to repair the vessel. That means that means that you can close the artery where it is. If there is just a small hole, you can suture the hole closed. With the CCA or IJV it's more likely that you are going to need a patch. This means that you take another piece of vein or a synthetic replacement, and suture it into the hole. I always like to tell people surgery is a lot more tailoring than most people realize (not that this is as easy as sewing fabric). Below is an example of where a patch would be used in the CCA:
First the tear in the artery:

And after the patch has been added:

Suturing and patching can only be used to close the vessels when tension isn't needed to repair the wound. If the laceration or severing of the vessels are such that it has come mostly (not completely) apart, but you can still get the ends together with NO tension, end-to-end anastomosis repair can be utilized. This means that you take the two ends, with branches if there are any at the wound, and suture them back together.
Again here is an example of the opening in the artery (popliteal):

And here it is again after end-to-end anastomosis repair:

Now let's say that you really did get the vessel cut in half. That's a bit of bad news for you, you're going to have to ligate the vessel. That means sewing up the end of it to close it down. You start above the injury in arteries and below in veins, and then you tie at least three loops--many prefer five loops--down on the vein, and make a clean cut leaving at least two loops on the part staying in the body. Then you do the same thing on the other side of the injury. I think this is best displayed by a video, unfortunately most of the good ones I know of are not available to the public.
This video certainly not the best technique I've ever seen but it get's the idea across. I will search for a better video as I have time.
Now if it is possible, a surgeon will try to make a graft deal with the ligation. The first choice is ainterposition graft. This means taking a larger vein graft and connecting the two ends of the severed vessel. You do this after making clean ends with the ligations from above.
Here we have the femoral artery prepped for an interposition graft:
And here is interposition graft in place:

In certain cases, this is not possible. As strange as it sounds, the ligation may just be left in place, depending on where it is.

---

Is that all?

No, not by a long shot, but that is the basics. There many different techniques that can be used, with new and better ones being invented often. For example instead of suturing, chemical cauterizing of the ligation can be used and is quicker. That also allows the surgery to be done through a scope. But the basics remain the same:

[thughes]

Good stuff Mek but I probably should have saved this thread until after I had my breakfast.....

[Meketrefe]

Good stuff Mek but I probably should have saved this thread until after I had my breakfast.....

LOL... it is just a bit of blood. Think of it as our hydraulic lines and oil. lol.

If nothing else one should think what to do if there is a severed vessel where a tourniquet cannot be applied like high in the inner thigh or groin or neck.
One might need to fish for the severed vessel and clamp it that is where the clamps if nothing else is a good thing to have. Plus they have many other uses.
Otherwise some of those deep cuts would mean certain death. The question is how to practice at least a little w/o being a doctor. I have tried sutures on
fresh hunting kill to see how would I do it but have not idea the fix would hold restoring the blood pressure/flow. LArge vessels seem a lot easier just
because of the size where veins would need micro sutures and will need good light and a magnifying glass. The good thing with those one would have
more time, in theory.

[usmcveteran]

The one thing I learned at the First Aid course is that Cgrutt can tie a mean suture and that I like staples LMAO!

That is what the combat gauze are for. As long as you can get it to touch the bleeding vessel you will stop the bleeding. If its still going then you need to try it again by removing old and replacing with new one. Once you got that you can pack with more sterile gauze and wrap it up with a compression bandage, or gauze with tape or duct tape.

We saw video of arterial bleeding on pigs and the quickclot gauze was enough to stop the bleeding without need of sutures.

[Meketrefe]

The combat gauze will not stop a severed femoral specially if it is high in the thigh. one needs to open it up and clamp it very quickly.
Also some arteries will need restoring the flow at the risk of cutting blood flow. One can loose the leg later but not the head.
well some already lost their heads actually! lol.