French term (edited): mèches

"mèches" are usually gauze wicks placed into the wound site to drain away fluids

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Note added at 14 mins (2009-02-18 10:03:13 GMT)
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http://brothier.com/Coalgan-H/meche-hemostatique.php

Same thing translated as "swab"
http://brothier.com/en/products/coalgan/

Could also be gauze packing. I'd go for a more generic term like "gauze".

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Note added at 20 minutes (2009-02-18 10:09:25 GMT)
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c.f. "hémostatique mèche" for nose packs (for epistaxis)

HUG - Département de l'enfant et de l'adolescent - [ Translate this page ]Utilisez une mèche hémostatique (mèche de coton recouverte d’un produit pour aider à stopper le saignement). Ces mèches se vendent en pharmacie et peuvent ...
dea.hug-ge.ch/infos_patients/saignement-nez.html

>> gauze pack
AccessMedicine | EpistaxisEither nasal tampons or an anterior gauze pack can be used. ... placement of an anterior nasal pack that will control epistaxis adequately and stay in place ...
www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=609033

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Note added at 21 minutes (2009-02-18 10:10:12 GMT)
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Sorry, I meant "mèche hémostatique". Must be caffeine time...

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Note added at 1 hr (2009-02-18 11:05:54 GMT)
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Despite what the dictionary says, I have never seen "meche" or "gauze meche" used in English.

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Note added at 1 hr (2009-02-18 11:13:51 GMT)
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How about "ribbon gauze"?
http://www.medsurg.com.au/_products/DRESSINGS - WOUND CARE/G...

http://archotol.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/summary/79/4/431-a

Ah, brings back fond memories of packing nosebleeds in A&E :-)