In a world without medical facilities, open wounds can invite serious, life threatening infections. To the untrained eye, it could cause death. For thousands of years, stitches have long been a part of closing wounded tissues. One of the main concerns with this archaic method is air can inadvertently become trapped inside a stitched wound and cause further inflammation and infection.
A new invaluable medical tool could be the answer to safer and improved wound closure. This innovated wound closure system, developed by Israeli doctor, Dr. Topaz is already being applied in Israeli hospitals. “TopClosure works by first stretching out the skin around the wound to avoid the need for skin grafts, and second by ensuring that the wound scars in an aesthetic and healthy fashion.” More cases are being performed and studied of TopClosure being applied to different types of wounds and getting excellent results.
The TopClosure tension-reduction system consists of two main parts: fastening cables and attachable clasps. The cables come in a variety of lengths to accommodate the size of the wound, and each clasp contains an adhesive bottom to mount onto the skin, as well as hole for staples if additional support is needed. The two clasps are placed facing each other on opposing sides of an open wound, much like two supporting ends of a bridge. A cable is strung through the clasps, drawing the skin tissues together until they eventually close. Stitches are then applied over this temporarily facilitated enclosure as the final seal.
This non-invasive wound closure system could be a lifesaver, especially in a SHTF world. Dr. Topaz believes it’s time to bid farewell to skin grafts, surgery and stitches for complex wounds, and to welcome a new method that he hopes will soon become the standard in severe wound treatment.
Zip ties with wide plates and adhesive go to it boys and girls.
A foreign body within a wound , even a stitch or staple, may serve as a nidus for infection. The top closure method, like the much less expensive superglue method, puts no foreign body in the wound. Yes, an advantage, but an advantage that will likely be offset by the disadvantages of the Top Closure system.
Many wounds are irregular or require debridement of devitalized tissue, so the Top Closure system is too inflexible to deal with many of them. Many wounds are deep and require layered closure to prevent weak healing, excessive scarring, and hematoma, seroma, or abscess formation in the deep unclosed spaces. And finally… Oy veh! The cost of purchasing the various Top Closure components.