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Because I like to frequent the Bay St. Louis area, I did a deep dive into the case of Basil Kennedy a77-year-old lifelong resident of BSL and ardent sailor. In early July of this year, Basil was at home and scraped his leg on his boat trailer parked in his yard that had recently been used to launch his boat. As most diabetics know, wounds to extremities need to be cared for immediately which he did. He rinsed the wound with hydrogen peroxide and put a band aid on the wound. This is the generally accepted method of wound care for diabetics. Basil contracted a vibrio infection and died on July 21 of organ failure.
So what can we learn from the death of one of our fellow watermen? First off, and shockingly, he was not as I first thought launching his boat. He was at home in his yard when he scraped his leg on his boat trailer. Vibrio can survive on wet surfaces like trailers, gear and clothing. Second, and equally alarming, is that cleaning the wound with hydrogen peroxide was ineffective. My research suggests that hydrogen peroxide can actually cause further damage to the wound tissue making it easier for Vibrio to invade.
Here is a suggested protocol (search term: coastal wound protocol):
1. Rinse with clean fresh water e.g. bottled water.
2. Wash the area with a mild non-antibacterial soap.
3. Clean the area with Hibiclens, a non-cytotoxic skin cleanser (won’t further damage the wound tissue).
4. Apply Betadine to the wound briefly, then rinse and dress.
5. Cover wound with a waterproof dressing (as Devin mentioned in another post)
6. Treat as high risk: monitor closely.
7. Even the latest third and fourth generation super antibiotics and even when used simultaneously are not effective treating vibrio.
8. Tissue removal surgically and limb amputation are often required to prevent death.
What is also noteworthy in Mr. Kennedy’s case was he was diabetic which means a significant immune deficiency (read: his chances were low for an optimal recovery). If I read the research correctly, a quick response to wound care is critical. And as was noted in an earlier post, rush to the ER if things start to go south.
And lastly, while it is very clear to me to follow coastal wound protocol at all times, it might be just as important and possibly even more important is to perhaps follow Devin’s advice to take care of yourself and do the right things to build personal fitness and a vigorous immune system. At the end of the day, it may well be that Devin’s advice is what saves your life or limb.
