# Field Dressings : Is there any expiry?



## AJFitzpatrick (24 May 2007)

Some time ago I bought some surplus field dressings, Now I am wondering if they ever "expire"?


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## Donut (24 May 2007)

The only reason any inert bandages or dressings have expiry dates is because the manufacturer won't guarantee sterility beyond a certain date...if they haven't gotten and stayed soaked, I wouldn't worry....there's millions of 1950 era dressings in civil defence stores across the country.

DF


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## AJFitzpatrick (24 May 2007)

Thanks, I'll still try to avoid needing them.


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## Donut (24 May 2007)

Good plan   ;D


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## kratz (24 May 2007)

Now there is a Question and Answer that is worth reading. Thank you.


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## Armymedic (25 May 2007)

ParaMedTech said:
			
		

> The only reason any inert bandages or dressings have expiry dates is because the manufacturer won't guarantee sterility beyond a certain date...if they haven't gotten and stayed soaked, I wouldn't worry....there's millions of 1950 era dressings in civil defence stores across the country.



The older dressings were wrapped in paper. New dressing are entirely wrapped on plastics. So they should never "expire" if wrappers are intact. Double wrap plastic like the new Isreali emergency dressing should be good for life, if not exposed to repeated hot, humid-cold, dry cycles.


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## Old Ranger (25 May 2007)

St. Micheals Medical Team said:
			
		

> The older dressings were wrapped in paper. New dressing are entirely wrapped on plastics. So they should never "expire" if wrappers are intact. Double wrap plastic like the new Isreali emergency dressing should be good for life, *if not exposed to repeated hot, humid-cold, dry cycles.*



Hey, what's the Weather like in Afganistan? ;D

Sorry end of night shift Cheekiness.


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## PMed (26 May 2007)

Old Ranger said:
			
		

> Hey, what's the Weather like in Afganistan? ;D
> 
> Sorry end of night shift Cheekiness.



LOL -  ;D  Thanks for the giggle..


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## MediTech (26 May 2007)

I found a shell dressing from 1953 in our unit pharmacy.  It was wrapped in a sort of glossy paper like material.  I don't think it was expired.


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## DartmouthDave (26 May 2007)

Hello,

The disaster/MCI lockers at the local hospital have boxes of 50ish field dressings and smelly wool blankets.  Opened one and it was fine.  In fact, no change from the current ones.

Hmmmmmmm...........I should repackage them in new fancy covers and sell them back to the CF!!  Dressing, Combat, MK III........LOL

David


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## medicineman (27 May 2007)

Don't laugh Dave - I saw it done recently.

MM


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## kj_gully (27 May 2007)

DartmouthDave said:
			
		

> The disaster/MCI lockers at the local hospital have boxes of 50ish field dressings and smelly wool blankets.  Opened one and it was fine.  In fact, no change from the current ones.
> 
> David



Kinda sad, really, and speaks to inertia of our system. Sigh...maybe just maybe some day I will get a chitosan dressing.


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## DartmouthDave (28 May 2007)

Hello,

What are chitosan dressing??  They sound great!!

Anybody remember the Hampton Row Burn dressings?   Odd little foam thing to wrap burns?  I should repackage and sell them back to the CF as well.....lol

David


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## medaid (28 May 2007)

DartmouthDave said:
			
		

> Hello,
> 
> What are chitosan dressing??  They sound great!!
> 
> ...



*shudder* you mean those nice bubble wraps that one of my more learned colleauges said was good for nothing more then packaging? You should indeed sell those back, and call them 'Item, Individual, Fragile Wraps MkI'

As to MM's comment... ya talk about integrity eh?


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## Armymedic (28 May 2007)

Rohampton dressing had their purpose, and worked well for that sole purpose.


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## medicineman (28 May 2007)

MedTech said:
			
		

> As to MM's comment... ya talk about integrity eh?



They came out of Provincial Disaster Stores and were "redistributed" back to the CF due to a shortage.

MM


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## kj_gully (29 May 2007)

You are talking about them as if they are history... I have them in my kit. What burn dressing are you using now?


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## Old Ranger (29 May 2007)

kj_gully said:
			
		

> What burn dressing are you using now?



Used to be Butter, but supplies were being consummed.

Our civi Burn Kits have 3 different supplies.

Gam Industries, USA, made in China.
Roehampton, made in NY
Protector Canada Inc, made in Downsview.


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## DartmouthDave (29 May 2007)

Hello,

Alas, I spelled Roehampton incorrectly.   :

We carry sterile drapes and sheets to cover burns.  They are inexpensive and they are easy to get.  We just grab them from the hospital!! LOL  Also, we use Life Blankets to wrap the patient.  This keeps them from getting to cold.


Lifeblankets are great. They are a disposable blue sheet that we wrap the patient in. They are strong enough to lift the patient from the cot to the stretcher.

David


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## elder medic (25 Jul 2007)

Very interesting point, in all seriousness. Last year I gave a shell dressing dated 1943 (Johnson and Johnson, I believe) to my GP's wife ( a nurse of course, what else?) for her collection. We used them in Korea and this one had been with me for the years since then obviously. She had previously had several from the same era tested and no reason to expect they were not as good as new. Came in a totally water tight cover which could also be used to protect the dressing from the rain. Once again this old mind is boggled at the goodies you guys have now. Sure beats going on a night patrol with a haversack of shell and field dressings and a few very accountable syrettes of morphine.


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## Fraser.g (25 Jul 2007)

According to the intensivist we had in theater when discussing the overabundance of Rohampton dressings that kept on being stocked on our shelves...pre-hospital  medics are just as well off using any type of clean or sterile drape. Heck, Sawran wrap works great! Slows fluid loss, keeps contaminants away...pre-hospital, what more could you ask for?


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## 1feral1 (25 Jul 2007)

In Iraq, we had these US field dressings which had an use by date on them, I can't remember the name, but they were derived from shellfish, and about $100US a pop. we had these in our LAVs, adn with us, along with the generic ones.

We had to sign a waiver to consent to their use, and that was put on our med docs. It had something to do with their ability to promote clotting.

Our generic FADs do not carry a UBD, but they do wear, and then the plastic cover gives way contaminating them. I went thru many, and normall carried at least two on me at all times. Some of the lads had them attached to their rifles and LMGs also.


Cheers,

WEs


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## willy (25 Jul 2007)

Wesley  Down Under said:
			
		

> In Iraq, we had these US field dressings which had an use by date on them, I can't remember the name, but they were derived from shellfish.



Would they possibly have a negative effect on someone with a severe shellfish allergy?


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## Donut (25 Jul 2007)

willy said:
			
		

> Would they possibly have a negative effect on someone with a severe shellfish allergy?



There's been discussion on that on here...I believe the verdict was that the chance of a reaction was slim to nil, but not non-existent.


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## 1feral1 (25 Jul 2007)

willy said:
			
		

> Would they possibly have a negative effect on someone with a severe shellfish allergy?



That might have been one of the reasons we signed a waiver, and we were asked if any of us did have an allergy prior to arriving 'in country'.

Cheers,

Wes


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## Fraser.g (31 Jul 2007)

As far as I have herd, there  has been no anaphilaxis from using the new dressings. If anyone has herd of such a reaction through hearsay or by personal experience please feel free to chime in.


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