by Dr. David M. “Doc” Conkle

All of us that fish offshore should be prepared to initiate treatment of acute injuries and medical emergencies. The boat should have a first aid manual, basic medical supplies and a crew member that has working knowledge to treat medical problems and administer CPR. Basic supplies should include: sterile bandage material (gauze, steri-strips, band aids, surgical tape), ace wraps, sterile gloves, a tourniquet, malleable splints, and a pin cutter. Medications include: an Epi pen, aspirin, ibuprofen, Tylenol, meclizine, transdermal patches, antiseptic solution, and Benadryl. A portable defibrillator should be considered on travelling boats and for those that spend extended periods offshore.

Injuries

The most prevalent injuries that can occur involve the hands, legs and arms. The treatment of hook injuries depend upon the location of the barb. If buried, the hook should be stabilized, ice applied and medical help sought. If the barb is outside of the skin or can be advanced outside of the skin, the shank can be cut with pin cutters and the hook removed. The wound should then be washed with antiseptic solution, and wrapped with a sterile bandage. Ice should be applied and medical help sought.

A 12/0 to the top of the foot is never fun. Photo courtesy Mike Garofalo.

For puncture wounds involving a hook, old fillet knife or other potentially rusted metal object, you may consider getting a tetanus shot. Most everyone gets a tetanus shot when they are vaccinated as children. While recommendations on frequency of tetanus booster shots vary, a good rule of thumb is every ten years or so. The doctor who exams your wound or removes the hook may prescribe a tetanus shot if he deems it necessary. If you remove a rusty hook and do not seek medical attention, while there hasn’t been a case of tetanus in the US for many years, consider the date of your last tetanus shot.

Lacerations should be cared for by controlling the bleeding with pressure (sterile gauze and an ace bandage) or a tourniquet. If you use a tourniquet, it should be removed as soon as bleeding is controlled. The wound should then be flooded with antiseptic solution. If the wound is gaping, steri-strips should be used to reapproximate (close) and then the wound should be dressed with a sterile bandage. If the wound is significant, the person should be taken to the emergency room for closure.

Derek Escalera caught a 40-pound dolphin that introduced the hook to his foot — but he stayed out fishing!

Photo courtesy of Derek Escalera.

Fish bites (not the appetizer, but what happens when you get bitten by a fish) should be washed with bleach and antiseptic solution and covered in a sterile bandage. An ice pack should then be applied. Serious fish bites should be evaluated by a doctor. Sting ray injuries usually involve a barb injury to the heel area. The barb should be left as found. Apply antiseptic solution, a sterile bandage and an ice pack to the injury site. The person should be taken to the emergency room for further evaluation and treatment.

Infections usually occur in a fisherman’s hand. They are best treated by prevention. A 50/50 bleach to fresh water solution kept in a five gallon bucket should be used by crew to wash their hands, knives and tools after handling bait and fish. Bleach will kill all bacteria. If infection does occur, seek medical evaluation. How can you spot the onset of an infection? Symptoms such as redness, skin being hot to the touch, swelling and tenderness might indicate a potential infection. An infection should be treated with antibiotics, which will be prescribed by a doctor if necessary.

Mate Andy Hollen’s hand after a 20-hour fight with the 3rd place blue marlin at Poco Bueno.

Nick Rizopoulos’ left foot with an infection caused by a dropped rod butt.

Puncture wounds should be treated with antiseptic solution, a sterile dressing and an ice pack to keep swelling down. If a crew member is impaled with a bill, he should be evacuated to the hospital with the bill left as found (if the bill breaks off, do not remove it). If the bill strikes a person but does not break off, treat the wound as you would a puncture wound. Bill rash should be treated as you would a fish bite.

Sprains or suspected fractures should be stabilized with an ace bandage or malleable splint. Apply ice and seek medical attention. Ibuprofen and Tylenol together work well for pain.

A perfectly timed redfish attack illustrates the many dangers of fishing. Photo courtesy Jason Buck Photography

Illnesses and Serious Health Conditions

Medical illnesses and emergencies can occur offshore. Seasickness is the most common malady that can ruin the day for a fisherman. In a susceptible person, seasickness is best treated the night before with a transdermal patch. If symptoms occur after you are underway – fresh air (keep the person from staying in the cabin), eyes on the horizon and meclizine (a motion sickness drug) are the first line of defense. If nausea and vomiting occur, the person should be returned to the bank. The smell of pine trees cures seasickness. Vomiting is serious when it becomes frequent. These people should be returned to shore as quickly as possible.

Overheating is the first symptom of heat stroke. This is best treated with prevention – appropriate clothing and hydration with nonalcoholic and noncaffeinated fluids. Alcohol and caffeine cause dehydration which contributes to heat stroke. Heat stroke can be difficult to diagnose, but if someone is sweating heavily and begins to act strangely they need to be cooled down as quickly as possible. The person should drink cold fluids (avoid beer and caffeine) and get out of the heat. Move into air conditioning if possible and apply ice packs to neck, beneath arms and the groin area (that is where the major arteries carry blood to the legs). You may also apply cold towels to the neck and head.

Mac Robinson waiting for a doctor at the Green Turtle Cay Clinic in the Bahamas. This photo seems to show two people who find humor here…Mac is not one of them. (see his right arm).

Cardiovascular events are unusual but can occur. They require prompt recognition, treatment and rapid evacuation to an emergency room. If a person experiences the acute onset of chest pain, sweating, pallor (losing color in someone’s face) and nausea, treatment for a potential heart attack should be initiated. He or she should be given two aspirin pills to chew (so that it enters the blood stream faster) and swallow with a sip of water. The person should then placed at rest with his or her feet elevated and monitored continuously. Evacuation should be started immediately. If the person loses consciousness and pulse, CPR should be started immediately and defibrillator attached if available. The defibrillator’s artificial intelligence will talk you through the defibrillation.

A stroke is another event that demands early recognition and prompt evacuation. The acronym FAST is used for diagnosis. F- facial drooping, A- arm weakness, S- slurred speech, T- Time is of the essence. The quicker the person can get to the emergency room, the better the chance is for recovery.

A USCG helicopter crew can be the difference between life and death in the event of an emergency offshore. Photo courtesy of United States Coast Guard

The care of diabetic problems should start by knowing if anyone on board is a diabetic. These people should be well versed in the care of their chronic disease – if not, they should stay on shore. If someone with diabetes travels offshore he or she should do so with medication and a glucometer. Diabetes requires the management of blood sugar to avoid potentially fatal episodes. How do you recognize a potential problem in one of your diabetic boat guests? What should you do?

The symptoms of low blood sugar include: nervousness/anxiety, weakness, trembling, sweating, rapid heart rate and decreasing consciousness. The treatment is checking one’s blood sugar. If it is less than 70 mg/dL, treat with sugar – hard candy, sugar water or sugary soft drinks. The symptoms of high blood sugar (ketoacidosis) are: excessive thirst/urination, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, hot, flushed skin, and drowsiness leading to sleep. The treatment is to check one’s blood sugar. If it’s over 300 ml/dL with the above symptoms the person needs to be evacuated ASAP and fluids need to be pushed (drink lots of non-sugar drinks – Gatorade or water).

An allergic reaction can range from swelling and itching of the skin to anaphylactic shock. If a person experiences a minor allergic reaction he or she should be treated with Benadryl and ice packs. If the patient begins to experience significant facial swelling and or difficulty breathing, he or she needs to be injected with an Epi pen and transported to the emergency room as soon as possible.

A coast guard rescue swimmer prepares to deploy in response to a medical emergency aboard this trawler. Photo courtesy of United States Coast Guard

Conclusion

I hope this information will help you be better prepared to deal with the unexpected. Preparedness is the mainstay of every successful fishing trip. Best case scenario is that your boat includes all the necessary medical supplies, equipment and training and never needs to use any of it.

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