# strange styrofoam stuff shoved in my wound?



## Ration-AL (Apr 18, 2012)

what is this magic and where can i get some? i was camping this last weekend and did something stupid when i was carving out some tent pegs and carved out a good chunk of my thumb while i was at it, i cared for it for the last 4 days and decided that i needed a good nights sleep so finally went to the DR for some pain meds and to make sure the wound wasn't more serious than i thought it was going to be. DR couldn't believe i hadn't come in before i did but admitted there wasn't too much more they could do than i already had done at that point, if i would have had this magic styrofoam stuff i could have saved myself a visit, anyone have any idea what i'm talking about?


they kept calling it wound gel, or foam or something like that and for the life of me i can't find it anywhere on the internet, it looked like and had the texture and consistency of Styrofoam until it was put on the wound, then it kind of melted into the shape of the wound and plugged it up nicely, and now apparently i just leave it in there and my body will do everything else....sounds like dark magic to me....anyone know what i'm talking about?

:edit: looks like it's called negative wound therapy, anyone know where i can find this stuff?


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## Jim1590 (Jul 11, 2012)

I think this is what you are talking about. Called a fibrin bandage. I must say, cool concept:

http://www.oralchelation.com/testimonial/pop19.htm

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7710344

As for the where, I looked at a couple medical suppliers and no luck yet. It may still be in the Rx phase and not yet available for purchase. I will keep looking around.


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## Magus (Dec 1, 2008)

Oh its available, ask an EMT where he shops.


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## Jim1590 (Jul 11, 2012)

He did, and I haven't seen it!


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

I have to say that that is what they have been treating hubby's thumb with.. he carved a dime sized hunk of the pad of his thumb off with the table saw a few weekends ago. 
Of course while I was gone to the store.. but I came home to blood everywhere outside inside and hubs with paper towel and black electrical tape on it.. thinking it may have been just a slip and slice he thought I could just clean/butterfly/wrap and he would be okay.. it looked like a bit of hamburger.. ick.
but the er doc said skin graft but the specialist(hubs has diabetes so no dicking around with wounds till after shtf) cleaned it again and put this special foam type sleeve over it and it is supposed to encourage the body to secrete the proper "ook" haha to help it heal. problem is we couldn't find a medical supply to get any more of them so he ended up going in to the "physical therapy" once a week to have it cleaned and replaced.. which was all covered by the insurance(which is miraculous in itself) and I have to say that except for a small dot in the middle which scabbed it did what the dr said it would.. I wish we could have found those things to just have on hand for things like this as hubs is gonna lose a finger the way he goes..


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## Ration-AL (Apr 18, 2012)

Emerald said:


> I have to say that that is what they have been treating hubby's thumb with.. he carved a dime sized hunk of the pad of his thumb off with the table saw a few weekends ago.
> Of course while I was gone to the store.. but I came home to blood everywhere outside inside and hubs with paper towel and black electrical tape on it.. thinking it may have been just a slip and slice he thought I could just clean/butterfly/wrap and he would be okay.. it looked like a bit of hamburger.. ick.
> but the er doc said skin graft but the specialist(hubs has diabetes so no dicking around with wounds till after shtf) cleaned it again and put this special foam type sleeve over it and it is supposed to encourage the body to secrete the proper "ook" haha to help it heal. problem is we couldn't find a medical supply to get any more of them so he ended up going in to the "physical therapy" once a week to have it cleaned and replaced.. which was all covered by the insurance(which is miraculous in itself) and I have to say that except for a small dot in the middle which scabbed it did what the dr said it would.. I wish we could have found those things to just have on hand for things like this as hubs is gonna lose a finger the way he goes..


yeah sounds like the stuff, instead of having to swap bandages, irrigate and clean everyday. i now just have to change the outer layer every so often while this dark magic works, it's pretty cool stuff, and i can;t find it anywhere it's along the lines of those fibrin bandages but a bit different, as this literally look liked a piece of styrofoam that they cut to the shape of the wound and stuffed in there, after reading about it more it appears the styrofoam stuff is made from human plasma ....more magic!

anyways, i've tracked down some links for those interested.

it looks like this stuff
http://www.inostech.com/negative-pressure-wound-therapy-foam-mf-20-series









how to piece together your own home set.
https://www.ghdonline.org/uploads/Gordon_AJS.pdf
http://www.neatorama.com/2010/03/19...ive-pressure-pump-for-impoverished-countries/

video of how it works/how to do it





ok but here's the thing, what they used on me had no pump, it was literally just a piece of stryofoam they jammed in there and it "melted" into the shape of the wound nicely....still not sure if this is the same thing.

i'm wondering now if it's just something they use on careless men's thumbs, lol


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## DKRinAK (Nov 21, 2011)

*Intresting*

These folks have several different products, two of which seem to match your 'foam dressing' description.

http://www.convatec.com/en/cvtus-vr...3/1843/versiva-xc-gelling-foam-dressing.html/

or this
http://www.vitalitymedical.com/mepilex.html

ANd this -
Andover CoFlex AFD Absorbent Foam Wound Care Dressing is an all-in-one absorbent foam dressing and cohesive bandage combined to bring forth the best wound care possible. The CoFlex AFD Dressing is quick and easy to apply during emergency situations making it ideal for first responders, EMTs, emergency rooms and trauma centers. CoFlex AFD Absorbent Foam Wound Care Dressing absorbs 140cc's of fluid, or as much as 29 standard 4 x 4 gauze pads and conforms to the wound cavity, but does not stick to the wound. The CoFlex AFD Absorbent Foam Wound Care Dressing also features a waterproof film layer over the foam pad that prevents leakage, keeps the pad from drying out and prevents contamination. In turn the CoFlex AFD Absorbent Foam Wound Care Dressing conforms to the wound reducing maceration and keeps the wound site moist and clean allowing for a faster heal time.

http://www.quickmedical.com/andover-coflex-afd-absorbent-foam-wound-care-dressing.html

And finally, a very nice site on would management, tho parts may force you to look futher on the web for the 'medical terms' used.
Has mfg and phone numbers for purchase.
http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~daa/woundproducts/products.html

Feedback requested if any of these look like the 'styrofoam' dressing.

thx


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## Ration-AL (Apr 18, 2012)

DKRinAK said:


> thx


no that's not it as this stuff actually does stick to the wound, i was told it needed to be bleeding otherwise it wouldn't take and would just fall off, this stuff really had nothing to do with absorbing anything, but acts more like a plug,this is killing me as i can't find any information on it anywhere..... and again it came in a square white sheet like the pic above, so no gel, or bandage was attached to it, just the strange styrofoam stuff.....

edit:
ok found it!
Pfizer Gelfoam Sponge Gelatin 12~7mm is what they used on me, and boy is that stuff expensive @ $125 for a box of 4 or so.....
http://starhcp.corecommerce.com/Absorbable-Gelatin-Sponge-Gelfoam-12-BX.html


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## Padre (Oct 7, 2011)

Ration-AL said:


> , and boy is that stuff expensive @ $125 for a box of 4 or so.....
> http://starhcp.corecommerce.com/Absorbable-Gelatin-Sponge-Gelfoam-12-BX.html


Its on sale... for JUST $106. Or you could just keep your thumb out of the way...


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## DKRinAK (Nov 21, 2011)

*Thanks*



Ration-AL said:


> no that's not it as this stuff actually does stick to the wound, i was told it needed to be bleeding otherwise it wouldn't take and would just fall off, this stuff really had nothing to do with absorbing anything, but acts more like a plug,this is killing me as i can't find any information on it anywhere..... and again it came in a square white sheet like the pic above, so no gel, or bandage was attached to it, just the strange styrofoam stuff.....
> 
> edit:
> ok found it!
> ...


Thanks for the follow - up and I D of the product.

Use
http://labeling.pfizer.com/showlabeling.aspx?id=574

Adverse effects reporting
http://medicalhemostat.blogspot.com/2009/06/hemostasis-market-review-of-gelfoam.html

http://www.net32.com/ec/gelfoam-gelfoam-in-envelopes-sterile-size-4-d-49772
12 sponges for $83.45

Thanks to the OP for bringing this up - not exactly something for a FAK, still nice to know about.


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