I bought a couple of Israeli (compression bandages) for my BYOB. I was going through and repacking yesterday and I noticed they have an expiration date. Why would these bandages have an expiration date and can I just ignore it? So sorry if this is in the archives, I just couldn't find it.
Question for you Seapalases, are you able to generate a good amount of steam? ( gas stove and a tea pot should do) If so, remove from the packages and steam them with a pair of long reach stainless tongs, then vac seal with a couple drops of denatured alcohol! Worse case, use as intended and apply alcohol to them, enough to slightly soak through!
I hate to admit this out loud, but I'm just going to use them if I need to. My suspicion is that if a person has a traumatic injury, infection will be a problem to deal with later. I'll only use them in the case of extreme need.
No worries about that! Do what must be done first, and use your time later to treat any thing that comes! I suspect the packaging is prolly just fine, and the warning is more to get "Professionals" to rotate or change inventory on a set bases! My above advice can be used on all dressing, and even allow you to recycle some of it if needed! The hotter the steam, the better, but realistically, a tea pot should suffice!
strange I used tampax and panty liners that have been years old but the wrappings were in tact and didn't die. Paying a lot for stuff I'm going to bleed all over and the wound has grease sweat and dirt from working on equipment, seems a bit to fickle about the bandage when the wound was not conceived in hermetically sealed environment.
Technically, you only have to sterilize at 185°F for 2 min to achieve sterilisation of any dressings or impliments! A microwave oven, a wood stove, ideally a tea pot, a pot of boiling water, all will work. Further, you can use the dressings to clean and swab and and go right back in the heat and be reused right away! To further sterilize, use bleach, vinegar, or alcohol, or hydrogen peroxide, even salt water, and your good to go! Ochit brings up another point, feminine products can also serve as dressings, in some cases more effectively then ready made dressings. Children's diapers also make very effective dressings as well as absorbing larger amounts of bodily fluids! Point being, while the ready made stuff is effective, it' not the only option, especially if SHTF and your stuck with limited amounts of "Medical quality" supplies!
