Do you bring this? What are your thoughts?


Skin Stapler =

I purchased one similar with the intent of bringing to the BW, however I am rethinking that idea now.

airmorse: "I purchased one similar with the intent of bringing to the BW, however I am rethinking that idea now."

Why are you reconsidering?

I added a stapler to my first aid kit last year. The staple remover seems overkill. If I am stapling myself I am likely heading out and to a Dr.
I realized that my most likely serious injury would be a cut or fall opening a wound.

Decided I was more likely to use a stapler than sew myself up with sutures :)

Ok I watched a lot of youtube videos and I'm thinking this would be better than skin tape. I'm buying one because it is on sale on Amazon for $11. If I don't like it for camping I can always use it for the pets/chickens.

I have one and haven’t used. But I know a paddling friend from here used his when he sliced between his thumb and forefinger. He still had some trouble paddling but was able to get out.

Having gone through the Wilderness Fist Aid training last spring, I would opt for Steri Strips over a stapler. Keeping things sanitary is important. You can buy the steri strips that have pull tight pulls to pull the skin together. Makes for a much cleaner job, and you aren't pushing staples into the skin risking infection.

Wash the wound, apply antiseptic, put on steri strips and pull the wound tight. Cover with a gauze bandage. Then get to a doctor for proper stitches.

Very difficult to keep staples, stapler, etc all sterile.

I consider a skin stapler essential backcountry first aid gear, especially in a situation where I will be using a filet knife and cleaning fish.

Sunburn: "I consider a skin stapler essential backcountry first aid gear, especially in a situation where I will be using a filet knife and cleaning fish. "

The issue of skin staplers came up at the Wilderness First Aide course. There advice was there was more risk of infection, and damage from being used by someone without proper training, then sterilizing the wound, and using steri strips and compression bandages.

ockycamper: "

Sunburn: "I consider a skin stapler essential backcountry first aid gear, especially in a situation where I will be using a filet knife and cleaning fish. "

The issue of skin staplers came up at the Wilderness First Aide course. There advice was there was more risk of infection, and damage from being used by someone without proper training, then sterilizing the wound, and using steri strips and compression bandages. "

I would respectfully counter that skin staples can do considerably more to effectively manage a deep or large laceration, especially on a higher motion area like the hands or arms. If an unclean wound is closed there will be high infection risk whether the wound was closed with suture, staples, or steri-strips. All of this should be viewed as temporary management of the wound to allow for extricating yourself from the backcountry and seeking appropriate emergency medical care. For small lacerations, steri-strips are definitely the preferred approach.

For solo travelers, it is also critical to consider how you would apply steri-strips to the nasty laceration on your dominate hand??? Or how effective steri-strips will be when applying during a rainstorm when everything is wet. With minimal practice, a skin stapler is quick and easy to use (although not painless in this situation!).

If you have never used a skin stapler (most folks haven't), buy two. Leave one completely sealed in the package (therefore still sterile). Take the other one out and practice stapling a few "lacerations" made in the peel of an orange.

I check my stapler before each trip. If the packaging is damaged (therefore no longer sterile), I order a new one and pitch the old.

I have extensive medical training and surgical experience (veterinarian), so this may influence my comfort with and approach to certain aspects of first aid.