Re: INSTEON: Let the recalls begin ...

["Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx>]

"Lewis Gardner" <lgardner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:44bcf5f2$1_1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Robert Green wrote:
>
> > Oh, and the trick to the arrows is to break off the fletching and push
the
> > arrow THROUGH the wound.
>
> Bad advise if the arrow punctures a vital organ or artery while you are
> pushing.

Not real advice, Lewis, just a bad joke trying to extend on the pioneer
metaphor and imply that you should cut your losses and not have to drag the
entire arrow through the wound, the assumption being that you're already
shot through.  No sense dragging the fletching through the wound as well.

In reality, there would be very few circumstances, where pushing it further
in would be helpful, not harmful.  So, you're correct, it's never a good
idea in real life to push an arrow through unless you're already in the ER
and a doctor's doing it and deal with the potential bad consequences.

The balance for the surgeon, I suppose, comes in evaluating how much damage
a arrowhead can cause being pulled backwards in the victim compared to what
it would do being pushed forward compared to what a surgical extraction
would do.  That probably depends a lot on the shape of the arrow and the
location and extent of the wound.  In any event, the prevailing thought
seems to be to always leave it IN (arrow, spear, knife or other
puncture-type weapon) until you reach the hospital because it could be
keeping the wound closed like a cork.

However, if anyone's seriously taking medical advice on arrow wounds from
CHA then they're in trouble!  I'll be more careful in my humorous asides in
the future and suggest that for treatment of arrow wounds, those interested
should see:

http://www.bowhunter-ed.com/course/ch8_first_aid.htm

I'll summarize, for educational purposes but mostly just to prevent visions
of CHA'ers brusquely yanking arrows out of the torsos of hapless arrow wound
victims from haunting me for the rest of my life.  Pay particular attention
to point 5, which closely mirrors your own (correct) advice:

1) Transport an injured arrow wound victim to professional medical care as
quickly as possible.

2)  Pressure, applied firmly and directly, is the best control of serious
bleeding anywhere on the body. Pressure closes blood vessels and forms a
barrier, allowing blood to clot around the wound.

3) Use a thick, soft, clean pad to apply firm pressure directly on the
bleeding wound.  Covering the wound and applying pressure is most important,
even if you have to use your hand. Try to avoid contaminating the wound with
dirt, grass, or other foreign matter.

4) A deep wound in the chest or abdomen calls for quick action, especially
if an artery or vein has been cut by a razor-sharp broadhead. If possible,
apply a pressure bandage to the damaged vessel or wound.

5) If the arrow remains in the victim, leave it there. The broadhead itself
may provide the pressure to stop the bleeding from the wound and allow
clotting to occur around it. Try to stabilize the arrow with adhesive tape
or other material. Minimize movement of the shaft to avoid further injury
from the broadhead.

6) Give medical professionals a duplicate of the arrow imbedded in the
victim so that they see the size and shape to avoid injuring themselves as
they treat the victim. A duplicate arrow also helps them determine if they
have retrieved all of the broadhead from the victim?s body.

I'd probably clip the extending arrow shaft from the wound a few inches from
the skin, if I had a helper to hold it very still and some boltcutters
nearby, just so that it would be less likely to "stir" inside the body.
I'll bet you could do some pretty seriously savage laproscopic-like surgery
twisting a razor-sharp broadhead arrow point around in someone's gut.
Sounds like an idea for a horror movie.  Hey, if "Saw" can sell, why not
"Arrow?"

--
Bobby G.