johnnybv December 11, 2009 Share December 11, 2009 Fellow reefers, I had a recent incident that I would like to share, and hopefully save someone from a lot of pain and suffering. I had this brilliant Idea to swtich out one of my frag tanks at home, for a larger one of course. As usual the job seemed pretty simple and we should be able to do in in an hour or 2, after about 4 hours we finally completed the project. The move required taking all the corals, fish and water out of the old tank and moving them to a temporary tank off to the side, removing the old tank, and plumbing in the new tank, then putting all the inhabitants back. Many of my sps corals had grown onto the eggcrate, and needed some force to remove them, I did so with my hands and an occasional screwdriver. When the project was complete I had 2 cuts on my hand, one I had done with a pair of scissors, and I was aware that I had knicked my self. The other I didnt remember actually doing, but I had what appeared to be a paper cut on my thumb, but it really hurt. It was 12:30 PM, so I manned up, washed my hands, put some neosporin and a bandaid on and went to bed (this was wednesday night). Thursday all day I was in a lot of pain from this little cut, throbing and painful at rest, and excruciating when any presure was applied. This morning (friday), my thumb was red, throbbing, and the site of the cut was white with puss, I decided it was time to go see a DR. Long story short, Of course the Dr. had never experienced a laceration infected by marine bacteria, after some time researching on the net he came back with what he THINKS will work. I left the DR with 2 shots in the butt, one Tetinus and one antibiotic, and 2 perscriptions for oral antibiotics for the next 10 days. I told him I couldnt believe that such a small cut could be so serious, he said that I should have been there yesterday. Had I waited another day or 2 the pressure from the infection would have been soo great that they would have had to cut both sides of my thumb to remove the pressure. If I had waited longer than that, the pressure would have damaged the tissue, and nerves in the thumb and could have led to the loss of the thumb. I will spare you pictures, but heed this warning that the animals that we keep can cause a lot of harm to us. We saw it with Steve Outlaw and the palytoxins, and now this from acropora. Use gloves when handling your corals, and be especailly careful with sps. It is still going to be hit or miss for me, whether these antibiotics work on this type of bacteria, I am not in the clear yet. I will keep everyone posted as my personal marine science project progresses..... John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsedlack December 11, 2009 Share December 11, 2009 Yikes! Ummmm thanks for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boret December 11, 2009 Share December 11, 2009 Phew, close one. Did the doctor say anything about what to do after getting the cut? Would treating with Iodine help? Besides going to the doctor of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phisigs79 December 11, 2009 Share December 11, 2009 Hope you feel better John! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilary December 11, 2009 Share December 11, 2009 Wow. Thanks for being our guinea pig, though I'm sure that you'd have preferred not being the test subject. Hope it heals well and quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epleeds December 11, 2009 Share December 11, 2009 glad your feeling better... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Garrison December 11, 2009 Share December 11, 2009 Seriously, I hope you get better quickly and that is a very good lesson for all of us to take heed of. I never think about all the little nicks and cuts I get when handling the rock and what not in the tank... with my other health issues, that kind of cut/infection is probably the last thing I need. Thanks for sharing and the warning Johnny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnybv December 11, 2009 Author Share December 11, 2009 (edited) Phew, close one. Did the doctor say anything about what to do after getting the cut? Would treating with Iodine help? Besides going to the doctor of course. There is soo little known in the medical field about marine life and its affects on the human body. I didnt ask, but he did reccomend more care, and wear gloves. I would think if I had really scrubbed it with an antibacterial soap, and maybe some peroxide I may have been able to avoid it. What blows me away is how quickly it progressed, for me to go to the dr. you know it had to be really hurting in less than 36 hours... john Edited December 11, 2009 by johnnybv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Camaron December 11, 2009 Share December 11, 2009 thats crazy, glad to hear your feeling and getting better. I just did a tank move my self and now i feel lucky none of this happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveoutlaw December 11, 2009 Share December 11, 2009 John - I feel for you. I hope the medications work........I know that there isn't a more helpless feeling than going to the doctor and having them say, "well, I've never seen this before. I guess well just have to try some things and see if they work." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefmontalvo December 11, 2009 Share December 11, 2009 You did good. A staph infection is no joke. I will see if Monte the JRT can cheer your spirits up a notch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Lazar December 11, 2009 Share December 11, 2009 Glad you're doing better. Incidently, this is why I stopped sucking on the end of the hose to start a siphon. Wouldn't want to get one of those infections in my mouth or throat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami December 12, 2009 Share December 12, 2009 Glad you caught it early, John. I have a cousin in Florida who nearly lost his arm from a similar incident some years ago. Thanks for the heads up and the reminder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mountaineer December 12, 2009 Share December 12, 2009 Glad you're doing better. Incidently, this is why I stopped sucking on the end of the hose to start a siphon. Wouldn't want to get one of those infections in my mouth or throat. Or lungs if you were to aspirate and develop a pneumonia. I know of someone that had this scenario occur. Hope your thumb clears up and make sure you get good follow up care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason the filter freak December 12, 2009 Share December 12, 2009 Wow glad you're doing alright. I ended up pretty much chewing on then eating a piece of kenya tree once, I can tell you that did not end well at all. I'm thinking theres got to be some sort of published research from the ocean side hospitals but having a practitioner willing to do the research is rare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan December 12, 2009 Share December 12, 2009 John thank goodness you went to the doctor. By the way you describe it your Doc was right about waiting another day. Those types of infectios spread incredibly fast. I've seen many staph and MDRS infections in my career. They are nothing to mess with. I hope all works out for you. God's speed in your recovery. I taught communicable infectious diseases and prevention as well as Environmental Emergencies which covers bites and stings, etc..to the FDNY along with many other subjects. I found this online not too long ago. This is pretty much what we would teach our Paramedics, EMT's and CFR's. Everyone should read it. http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/in...s/overview.html Here are some guidelines for all to follow from the CDC on staph infections. another mustread in this day and age of MDRS. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/ar_MRSA_ca_public.html How can I prevent staph or MRSA skin infections? Practice good hygiene: [*]Keep your hands clean by washing thoroughly with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. [*]Keep cuts and scrapes clean and covered with a bandage until healed. [*]Avoid contact with other people Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k December 12, 2009 Share December 12, 2009 That's what is commonly known in the maintenance field as 'reef rash'. I've had numerous small cuts and punctures from things like coralline algae and those little tube worms that grow around skimmers, but never anything as bad as what Johnny described. I usually treat a cut like that with straight Lugols solution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan December 12, 2009 Share December 12, 2009 (edited) Please don't use straight Lugols on an open wound. Non medicinal Iodine like Lugols can be toxic on the skin let alone introduced into the body via an open wound. Wash the wound with soap and water. follow the guidelines in the previosu post. Monitor the wound. Pain and swelling are key indications that you should see a medical professional. Edited December 12, 2009 by Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epleeds December 12, 2009 Share December 12, 2009 I ended up pretty much chewing on then eating a piece of kenya tree once, I know there has to be a lot more to this story............................ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnybv December 12, 2009 Author Share December 12, 2009 That's what is commonly known in the maintenance field as 'reef rash'. I've had numerous small cuts and punctures from things like coralline algae and those little tube worms that grow around skimmers, but never anything as bad as what Johnny described. I usually treat a cut like that with straight Lugols solution. And thats the thing, I handle this stuff daily and get cuts all the time, have never had a problem. ,There was definately a differance with this one, I dont know if it is s specific coral that is this toxic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boret December 12, 2009 Share December 12, 2009 Please don't use straight Lugols on an open wound. Non medicinal Iodine like Lugols can be toxic on the skin let alone introduced into the body via an open wound. Wash the wound with soap and water. follow the guidelines in the previosu post. Monitor the wound. Pain and swelling are key indications that you should see a medical professional. What about Iodine Tincture or Povidone Iodine Ointment Are those useless in this scenario? I understand the need to use gloves, even though it will have to be something tougher than latex. The large thick gloves tend to be too large and you end up making a mess in the tank. Which brings me to a question about cleaning hands: I tend to not clean the hands at all when I am messing with the tank because I never know when I am done putting my hands in the water. I know, I should keep them out but you know how it is..... Anyway, I don't use cream or lotions of any kind in my hands and I normally clean them up with straight water out of the faucet and dry them thoroughly. But I was wondering if there is any type of soup that you could use. For example, Unscented Lye Soap or Fragrance Free Glycerin soap. I like Lye soap better because its ingredients are just Lard, Water and Lye (sodium hydroxide). No other additives. My mother makes soap back home in Spain and I always bring a bar or two. Mainly because I didn't know where to buy it here! Do you guys see any problem cleaning my hands with that soap, rinsing thoroughly and then sticking the hands back in the tank? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanman December 12, 2009 Share December 12, 2009 WAY back when... during my SCUBA training in the Philippines, I was told to NOT put iodine on a coral cut. Something about coral eating iodine, and growing in your bloodstream. Yeah... sounded kind of silly then, too. How many corals can live at 98.6 degrees, eh? Best of luck, Johnny! Does this mean you're having a sale this weekend? This weekend only! The 'Johnny's finger is falling off' sale! All livestock items reduced by the same percentage of finger that Johnny loses! Just the tip - 10% off! Half a finger - 50% off! Sick humor? Yeah... that's me! bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boret December 12, 2009 Share December 12, 2009 Bob, I think John is working on a reply to your sale idea with one of his fingers.... too bad he can't post THAT here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dschflier December 12, 2009 Share December 12, 2009 Wow. Well let us know how things come along with the wound. I try now to remember to wear gloves but frequently I dont think about it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan December 12, 2009 Share December 12, 2009 Iodine tincture is found in most all first aid kits. It's a medically appoved and used antisepctic so it's fine in a scenario like this. The problem with antiseptics and antimicrobials especially oinments like bacitracine and neosporine is that we've gotten to the point where pathogens are becoming resistant to them. The stronger we make this stuff the more resistant the pathogens are becoming. Hence the birth of MDRS. That's why it's so important to cleans the wound right away with soap and water and try to let the body heal itself naturally. If it's a serious wound; deep laceration, large area abraded, partially avulsed skin requiring stitches you should see a doctor. Everytime we introduce antibiotics, antimicrobials, etc.. into our body we are lowering the bodys ability to fight pathogens naturally which leaves us vulnerable for other infection and disease. The key is to keep your immune system strong so it can combat these things naturally. Then if antibiotics are needed lowering your immune system wont be so hard on your system. If within 24-48 hours the pain and swelling get worse it's time to see a doctor. There will always be some discomfort for a couple of days so I'm talking about what John described. His signs and symptoms were classic text for a serious infection. Latex gloves should be fine too. The problem with them is they're not long enough to prevent water from entering. The water harbors all that great bacteria we want in our tanks but don't want in an open wound. Just make sure to cover any wounds first then wash hands throughly. Maybe even consider those water resistant band aids and the paint on water resistant band aid for open wounds when before putting your hands in the tank. I would imagine that the more natural the soap the safer it will be for the tank. What about Iodine Tincture or Povidone Iodine Ointment Are those useless in this scenario? I understand the need to use gloves, even though it will have to be something tougher than latex. The large thick gloves tend to be too large and you end up making a mess in the tank. Which brings me to a question about cleaning hands: I tend to not clean the hands at all when I am messing with the tank because I never know when I am done putting my hands in the water. I know, I should keep them out but you know how it is..... Anyway, I don't use cream or lotions of any kind in my hands and I normally clean them up with straight water out of the faucet and dry them thoroughly. But I was wondering if there is any type of soup that you could use. For example, Unscented Lye Soap or Fragrance Free Glycerin soap. I like Lye soap better because its ingredients are just Lard, Water and Lye (sodium hydroxide). No other additives. My mother makes soap back home in Spain and I always bring a bar or two. Mainly because I didn't know where to buy it here! Do you guys see any problem cleaning my hands with that soap, rinsing thoroughly and then sticking the hands back in the tank? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now