First Aid for bleeding. Part 2: New gauzes and powders

[ILowe]

There is a whole range now of gauzes which do not have to be removed: they dissolve. Does anyone know which ones are the best? I have chosen to carry in my briefcase something that is cheap, individually wrapped for travelling. I would use it as my first line of attack, then stuff on top the less sterile items such as tissues.

For instance, the Savlon range. amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00...

The gauze gets good reviews, but not the gel. For that, I have been very impressed with Celox. amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00...

The most useful format is 2g packets of powder. You pour in these granules and keep the pressure on for 5 minutes. Yes, apparently only 5 minutes is enough. Celox is designed for use with people taking anticoagulants. You can use it to block up a sliced artery. Read the feedback on Amazon and elsewhere.

Has anyone had personal experience of these products?

[Finvola]

I have had dissolving gauze packed into a tooth socket after a large extraction and it seemed to do the job of preventing bleeding. I don't know the name of it but will certainly ask my dentist.

THank you for posting this.

[ILowe in reply to Finvola]

Please do post it. The subject is of wider interest, especially to all of us who are anticoagulated.

[Finvola in reply to ILowe]

I looked up my diary notes from that dental visit and have noted 'socket packed with hemostatic gauze which dissolves in 7 to 10 days . . .'

There's quite a bit about hemostatic dental gauze on the web - apparently it dissolves into glucose and saline. Other types on Amazon sound like they form a gel which is then removed at a later date.

When I get more info I'll certainly post it.

[ILowe]

That is the advantage of Celox products, that the gauze or the powder do NOT require removal from the wound afterwards, and if they do, then simply rinsing with water will work. Apparently, one of the problems of stuffing wounds with gauze can be getting it off later, especially if the stuffing was not sterile. Other products seem to be based on seaweed!!

[Bagrat]

kaltostat is one of the seaweed ones. You don't have to remove it before putting another dressing on and it sort of dissolves forming a gel to stop the bleeding, they are known as alginate dressings,they are recommended for minor bleeding. convatec.co.uk/products/pc-...