Traumatic amputation: how to maintain limb

Traumatic amputation of the limb - is its clipping or separation under the influence of powerful external factors.Usually, this condition is accompanied by severe bleeding, intense pain - the victim may lose consciousness or remain in a state of shock.An important point in the case of traumatic amputation is the preservation of the severed / torn limb, but first you need to understand what kinds of "violent" amputation is differentiated by medicine.

Table of contents: Types of traumatic amputation Storage of amputated limb part How to render first aid in traumatic limb amputation

Types of traumatic amputation

Part of the limb, or the whole part of the human body can come off / cut off partially or completely.Full traumatic amputation means a condition in which the hand, feet, or limbs are separated from other parts of the body.If it is a partial traumatic amputation, then any part of the lower or upper limb will be held on the body, even if the link is a thin piece of skin.

Traumatic amputation can be:

• chopped;
• with skin damage in a circle( scalped);
• when exposed to electric saws;
• cut;
• occurred under pressure - for example, if the limb tightens in some mechanism;
• after a gunshot wound or explosion;
• mixed.

Please note: depends on how the traumatic amputation of the limb has occurred, and the tactics of rendering qualified medical care will depend.Therefore, when calling the emergency service, you must tell the nature of the injury.

Storage of an amputated limb part

Thousands of cases have been reported where severed / cut limbs were sewn and a person could live actively in the future without any restrictions.But that doctors could revive the limb, you need to be able to provide first aid.

First, you need to remember when the doctors say about the possibility of sewing the amputated segment:

• injured thumb of the hand;
• the child had multiple amputation of the limb fingers;
• injury occurred in the area of ​​the forearm and wrist;
• , amputation of segments of both lower and upper extremities occurred simultaneously.

Secondly, you need to know when the doctors do not even consider the possibility of performing an operation for sewing the amputated segment:

• as a result of the trauma, the nail phalanx of the little fingers and the ring finger of the lower / upper limbs separated;
• soft tissues of amputated segments are crushed, there are numerous fractures of bones;
• injured person is very unwell, which does not involve injury;
• age of a person with amputated elderly segments.

Note: doctors will never take up sewing an amputated limb segment if the storage period has been exceeded, ie the segment lost the viability of the .

In third, you need to clearly know what time the amputated segment retains its viability and can be sewn by doctors:

• temperature is +4 degrees Celsius - fingers retain vitality 16 hours, brush 12 hours, all other parts of the limbsUpper and lower - 6 hours;
• temperature above +4 degrees Celsius - the ability to sew a finger is retained for 8 hours, the brush - for 6 hours, all other parts - within 4 hours after a traumatic amputation.

It should be understood that in case of traumatic amputation of the limb, the separated segment must be cooled, since without it all the above hours of maintaining the viability of limb parts are reduced three-fold.

How to provide first aid for traumatic limb amputation

Remember: the main task in providing first aid to the injured person is to save his life .Therefore, if the victim has no breathing and no pulse, then one should start with artificial respiration and indirect heart massage. In general, help in this situation should be provided in accordance with the following instruction :

• traumatic factor to exclude - stop the mechanism where the limb hit, turn off the electric / chainsaw, remove the object that crushed the limb;
• from the stump will be actively flowing blood - this process must be stopped, but you do not need to use a tourniquet - it is advisable to use a tie, belt, belt, if you stop the bleeding from stump, and if a tourniquet has been applied,Indicating the exact time of the overlap. Note: if there is arterial bleeding, it is stopped by pressing the vessel with your fingers.
• The injured limb should be slightly raised and immobilized with the help of improvised tools( boards, sticks);
• on the stump is applied a bandage - ideally, that it was sterile, but you can confine yourself and just clean material.The dressing should be pressing and applied in several layers;
• injured person should take a reclining position, it is advisable to give him hot, sweet coffee or tea.

Note: only after carrying out all first aid activities for a person with traumatic amputation, one can begin to search for and preserve a cut / torn limb segment.

How to deal with the amputated segment:

1. It needs to be wrapped in a clean rag / gauze and put in a bag that is tied so that there is air inside.Do not rinse or tighten the amputated part tightly.
2. Place a bag with an amputated segment in any bowl filled with cold water or snow / ice.
3. In the case of transportation of the injured person, it is impossible to put a bag with an amputated segment, it is better to hang it and provide an accompanying note where the time of finding and packing the segment will be indicated.
4. If the tragedy occurred in the village and qualified medical assistance arrives quickly, then no actions should be taken with the segment - it is enough to find it and just cover it with a clean cloth.In ambulance cars, there are special containers that are designed to transport such amputated parts of the upper and / or lower limbs.

Note: if a partial traumatic amputation of the limb has occurred, then it is by no means possible to tear off the dangling segment!You just need to fix the injured limb, and put something cold on the injury site, before closing the limb with any cloth.

Traumatic amputation is a serious situation that requires an indispensable and urgent provision of qualified medical care.Therefore, immediately call the ambulance team, and then start "working" with the victim.

Tsygankova Yana Aleksandrovna, medical reviewer, therapist of the highest qualification category