Naipes Comas - B. Braun-Dexon (Agujas Atraumáticas)

7/21/2026

Naipes Comas - B. Braun-Dexon (Agujas Atraumáticas)

Today we'll have a look at this promotional deck published by Naipes Comas in 1986 for B. Braun-Dexon, titled Agujas Atraumáticas (Atraumatic Needles).

The suit symbols have been replaced by schematic representations of surgical suture needles, viewed from above to show their points, and rendered in the standard red and black colors. These designs adapt surprisingly well to the French suits. Furthermore, to prevent any confusion, miniature depictions of the traditional pips are included beneath the indices.

The indices on the pip cards feature a "/0" suffix. While this detail might initially seem cryptic, it's actually a reference to surgical needle diameter standards, where a higher "zero-count" indicates a smaller diameter. Since this is not clarified on the title card—which only illustrates the suit replacements with a brief diagram and depictions of the needles— it seems like the designers had a specific audience in mind (or people who read this blog).

Moving on to the court cards, they represent healthcare professionals, including surgeons, nurses, pharmacists, and even administrative and management staff. There seems to be a noticeable drop in inspiration here, and the concept implementation feels somewhat forced. It would have been better to utilize more clinical equipment, or even to have the traditional courts holding scalpels or forceps.

Regardless, the effort to optimize the playability by including traditional pips in the corners, along with a clear and concise title card, is highly commendable. It'd be very welcome to see more custom decks designed with these pragmatic considerations in mind.

As a side note, the excellent book Testimoni Històric de Naipes Comas contains a typo in this deck's entry, referring to it as Agujas Traumáticas (Traumatic Needles) instead of Agujas Atraumáticas. There is a certain irony in the implication that, in the event of an injury, the cure might be worse than the disease. This brief anecdote is worth noting for anyone consulting the volume who might run into this minor inconsistency.

To be perfectly honest, I don't find this deck's theme particularly appealing, and I doubt I am alone in that sentiment; after all, very few people get excited about needles. However, the sheer level of geekiness involved in its design and execution—which basically carves out a niche within a niche—absolutely wins me over, placing it firmly in the category of memorable decks.