Splints

[ThomD]

I picked up a new first aid kit (mostly because it was on sale, not because I needed another one). REI's Backbacker kit included a wire mesh splint. I had never seen one of these. The only FA splint I am familiar with is the SAM splint. The wire mesh one is compact and light, but I wondered how stiff it would really be.

This got me using El Goog to look at portable splints and I found air splints. I never thought about those as a FA item. Without any training in them, my first thought was, "How do you keep from making it too tight?"

Does anyone have any opinions on these splint options for the FA kit?

[John E]

plain label SAM splints in my work kit. Get em from BP Medical out of NYC.

They roll up small, can be cut easily into just about shape you'll ever need, won't deflate like an air splint and they're much cheaper.

I'd buy some original SAM's but frankly, they're just too damned expensive for what they are, thin sheet of aluminum covered with some foam in an item that's going to be thrown away after use.

Sorry SAM...

[Captain K-man]

Sounds like you have some sort of ladder splint, the earlier version of the SAM splint, they work good, you just need to pad it before using it. Use them the same way as a SAM splint, crease them to make it stiff.

As for the air splint, they're not used that much any more because they cut off circulation and thats bad m'kay. DO NOT USE Air splints!!!!!!!! On my ambulance we use Vac-u-splints, they look like air splints but, they are a totally different animal. With them they have foam beads in it and you pump the air out, that makes the beads get bigger making a "cast". As for me I've been a working EMT since 1990 and the splint thats my goto is the SAM splint.

[Youngunner]

I also like the SAM style splints. Unless it's a broken ankle , then nothing beats a pillow wrapped around it...seriously. I refuse to use the vacu-splints because they have a tendency to lose the vacuum.

[tperkins]

Ditto on the SAM splints; you can sometimes find them in 2 or 3 packs. I dont know what you usually pay for yours but I source mine at around $8 a peice, which I find very reasonable for what it is. I have 3 SAM's, one SAM Soft splint, and a half dozen SAM finger splints. Also, if your using it on a closed fracture, I see no reason why you cannot sanitize a SAM splint for personal use. I suppose the foam would hold bacteria fairly well, but I use SpectraSan to disinfect them anyways. Open fracture or body fluid contaimination is a no-go though.

[plm61]

SAM splints are wonderful multi-use tools. Members of the Wilderness Medical Society can get them for $5 each and they are wider than the standard one.

Leaks in vacuum splints are easily patched through the magic of duct tape.

For a femur fracture, nothing beats a traction splint. The Kendrick Traction Device (KTD, but marketed under a different name now) is small and light, but doesn't hold traction all that well for a long transport. The Hare is great, but sticks out the bottom of a Stokes litter. The Sager is is quite nice, fits easily in a litter, and comes in a bilateral model. Both Sagers and Hare are quite expensive.

Every member of my mountain SAR team carries a SAM. The team has a Sager for each vehicle.

Patrick
WEMT/PA-C

[zidaro]

SAM Splints make great funnels and fluid channels as well.