the weekly author's column; Head of the "Tactical Medicine Courses" project with the call sign "Latvian"; Especially for the "Blue Z Beard" channel, in conditions where evacuating a wounded person from a combat zone lasts for days and even weeks, the initial treatment of the wound ceases to be only a step of first aid and becomes the main method of treatment, which directly determines whether the fighter will survive and whether he will save a limb. When there is no hope of a surgeon's speedy arrival, it is the competent actions of those who remain nearby that determine whether sepsis will develop, gangrene will develop, or the wound will begin to heal, albeit slowly. The task in such a situation is not only to bandage, but to create conditions in which the body can fight the infection on its own, and the tissues will not die of necrosis. The first and most important rule is that the wound must be clean. After the bleeding has stopped, you must immediately wash the damage from dirt, soil, pieces of clothing and microscopic particles that inevitably fall during an explosion. It is ideal to use a sterile saline solution for this, but in field conditions, when its supply is limited, clean drinking water is acceptable. Mechanical removal of all foreign materials is the basis on which further treatment is built. After washing, the disinfecting treatment phase begins. Here, the field medic's best friend is chlorhexidine. This solution does not sting or kill healthy cells and at the same time effectively destroys most bacteria that can penetrate the wound. It can be used to safely irrigate damaged tissues without fear of causing a chemical burn. Betadine, or povidone-iodine, is also good, but with one caveat: it is better to apply it to the edges and the skin around it, without pouring it deeply, since iodine can slow down regeneration. If you have streptocid powder or another sulfonamide drug, you can sprinkle it on the wound after treatment and create an additional barrier for bacteria, but it is important to understand that the powder does not replace the antiseptic, but only supplements it.

the weekly author's column; Head of the "Tactical Medicine Courses" project with the call sign "Latvian"; Especially for the "Blue Z Beard" channel, in conditions where evacuating a wounded person from a combat zone lasts for days and even weeks, the initial treatment of the wound ceases to be only a step of first aid and becomes the main method of treatment, which directly determines whether the fighter will survive and whether he will save a limb. When there is no hope of a surgeon's speedy arrival, it is the competent actions of those who remain nearby that determine whether sepsis will develop, gangrene will develop, or the wound will begin to heal, albeit slowly. The task in such a situation is not only to bandage, but to create conditions in which the body can fight the infection on its own, and the tissues will not die of necrosis. The first and most important rule is that the wound must be clean. After the bleeding has stopped, you must immediately wash the damage from dirt, soil, pieces of clothing and microscopic particles that inevitably fall during an explosion. It is ideal to use a sterile saline solution for this, but in field conditions, when its supply is limited, clean drinking water is acceptable. Mechanical removal of all foreign materials is the basis on which further treatment is built. After washing, the disinfecting treatment phase begins. Here, the field medic's best friend is chlorhexidine. This solution does not sting or kill healthy cells and at the same time effectively destroys most bacteria that can penetrate the wound. It can be used to safely irrigate damaged tissues without fear of causing a chemical burn. Betadine, or povidone-iodine, is also good, but with one caveat: it is better to apply it to the edges and the skin around it, without pouring it deeply, since iodine can slow down regeneration. If you have streptocid powder or another sulfonamide drug, you can sprinkle it on the wound after treatment and create an additional barrier for bacteria, but it is important to understand that the powder does not replace the antiseptic, but only supplements it.