Diving With Scab On Incision..,

[Doby45]

I would say that as long as it was not "major" surgery and you are not going on a liveaboard that would expose you to on going diving over a prolonged period of time, I would simply cover the wound with one of the many large waterproof bandages, slip into a wetsuit and go diving...

NexCare Waterproof Bandage

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

I hope this isn't too much of a step from the original question but it seems like a good time to ask. We all get minor cuts, blisters and irritations during dive trips. @Duke Dive Medicine what would you suggest for us to take on our dive trips for first aid supplies? Would you mind suggesting how to manage these minor things so we don't have to miss dives. I have found Hyperfix, Opsite and Coban Bandages have saved the day for me on a few occasions.

The most important thing is to keep them clean by washing with soap and water after every dive. If you can get a reliable waterproof dressing that's great. Personally I've found the thin occlusive dressings like Tegaderm to be less than adequate for keeping a wound dry in the presence of large amounts of water. Opsite is a brand name - I don't have much experience with it but if it works for you, awesome. Keep some double antibiotic (not triple - lots of people develop allergies to one of the components) on the wound with a clean, dry dressing when you're out of the water. Keep a close eye out for signs of infection - redness, swelling, warmth, pain, increased drainage, and especially fever. Get medical attention if you develop any of those. I keep stern-strips around but would not completely close an incision or laceration that's been exposed to sea water for fear of trapping bacteria inside. Coban is fantastic stuff - not waterproof per se but holds dressings on well and comes off easily. In my own kit I also keep silk tape, Quickclot, Kerlix. ABD pads and gauze of various sizes, BP cuff and stethoscope, a SAM splint, hypothermia blanket, reflex hammer and neurological pinwheel, EMT shears, small scissors, pickups, large and small forceps, hemostats, a bag valve mask, oropharyngeal airways, povidone/iodine, moleskin, and I think that's it. Believe it or not it all fits in a small tote bag.

Best regards,
DDM

 

[uncfnp]

I think Opsite, Tegaderm, NexCare are all basically the same type of occlusive dressings. As I said in another thread, they are great for the average day to day use and can last up to a week, but as DDM said I'm not sure how well they would stand up to the rigors of diving. I think at the least it would need reinforcement with additional tape and maybe even need to be reapplied after each dive.

Not dive specific but just general wound care...

Do not use alcohol or peroxide to clean. Just the warm, soapy water mentioned by several poster. Alcohol, peroxide and similar chemicals can kill germs but it can also damage the healthy tissue as well. For a fresh wound, irrigating with clean running water is probably the best choice. And the sooner, the better.

Keep it moist but not to the point where the edges turn white. It is a myth that a wound needs to air dry. Dry wounds or wounds with heavy scabs are slower to heal and have a higher risk of scarring. Polysporin or even plain vaseline are good ways to keep a wound moist and reduce the risk of infection.

Keep it covered. This helps retain the moisture and provides a physical barrier to dirt and germs. Nonstick dressings and even simple bandaids work best for most wounds.

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Yes I think Opsite and Tegaderm may be the same things. Here they use a product called Hypafix. They put it right over the incision. I have had great luck with a combination of Hypafix and two good layers of Opsite then a wrap of two of coban bandage. I have managed to keep a wound dry during a 90 minute dive with careful application of the three layers. If it is a site that is getting chaffing the chances of keeping it dry is greatly reduced.

lol when we do local diving hubby complains there is more medical equipment in the car than scuba gear. He keeps reminding me that I don't drive a big white truck with flashing lights on the top anymore

When we go on dive trips I always worry that some of my gear may be frowned on in some locations. Can't take my O2 kit but the BVM, Stethescope and BP cuff don't take much space

 

[scuba5150]

During the healing process of a wound or incision, the wound closes as epithelial cells (skin cells) travel underneath the scab from the edges of the wound. The scab loosens as the skin cells undermine the scab and it ultimately falls off once the new skin cells have completely covered the wound. So when the scab falls off, the wound should be covered by new skin cells. If the scab comes off too early due to bumping it or rubbing it against something the skin cells may not have completely closed incision and it might be susceptible to infection.

 

[mikeb21072]

I am three weeks out of ankle and calf surgery and I still have the steri strips on the incision on my ankle. As much as I would like to get in the water, there is no way I could without a serious risk of infection. If I was going to try it, I would keep it covered and medicated while diving and clean it as soon as I could when I got out.