Amputation means the removal of a body part, usually, amputations are done by doctors in the hospital due to various conditions like gangrene or diabetes but sometimes amputations may happen during accidents too. These amputated body parts can be successfully reattached back in some cases, it depends on various factors like
- What body part was amputated.
- The condition of the amputated part.
- The time since the amputation and receiving medical care.
- The general health of the injured person.
The condition of the separated body part depends on how carefully it was managed before bringing it to the hospital. let’s see how we should manage the amputated body part and bring it to the hospital in the right condition.
- Call the ambulance right away you
If you see any accident where there’s amputation call the nearest ambulance right away
- Check patients condition and do first aid or ask someone who knows first aid to cater them
Cater the patient in those early stages, there’s a high chance the patient may go into shock, reassure them and do first aid.
- Collect the amputated body part
If there’s someone else to help you carry out the first aid, recover the amputated body part immediately if it’s not found transport the patient and transport body part afterward.
- Gently rinse off dirt and debris with clean water, if possible. Do not scrub.
There are chances that a lot of dirt and waste might be attached to the amputated part, we need to remove them before transporting, the attached debris, if left on the separated part, may cause infection.
- Wrap the amputated part in a dry, sterile gauze or clean cloth.
Wrap up the separated part after washing, in a clean cloth before transporting and remove all the moisture. This will help the separated part from getting exposed to the external factors and getting infected until it reaches the hospital
- Put the amputated part in a plastic bag
Put the separated part in a plastic bag and make sure it’s waterproof. Don’t let it get exposed to water continuously.
- Place the plastic bag on ice
Don’t let the part directly be in contact with the ice, the aim is to protect the part from decomposing and not to cause any damage from the ice and transport it to the hospital immediately.
- Frequently asked questions.
- How long an amputated body part can survive?
In-room temperature, it will last up to 12 hours, if we keep it in the refrigerated condition it will survive for a couple of days.
- How do I stop my amputation from bleeding?
Make the person lie down and elevate the injured part and apply steady pressure on the wound.
- How long does it take for an amputated finger to heal?
Finger Tip Amputation (Open Treatment) You have cut the tip of your finger partially or completely off. For this type of injury, it is best to let the wound heal on its own by growing new skin from the sides. Depending on the size of the wound, it will take from 2 to 6 weeks for the wound to fill in with new skin.
Learning first aid from basic injuries to amputations is paramount for any human being, considering the unpredictable nature of our life. We at VMEDO want to solve the emergency-related problems by providing knowledge tools and connections required. We have trained more than 5000 people in first aid and on our way to building an emergency sensitive safe ecosystem and a community of lifesavers all around the country
If you want to learn how to do first aid click the link below and become a lifesaver.