How to Treat an Amputated Limb During First Aid

Amputation is the complete severing of a body part from the body. This is a major traumatic injury, and the injured person must be treated for shock and evacuated from the backcountry immediately. Get to a hospital.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Mild Soap Such As Dishwashing Liquid
• Rubber Or Latex Gloves

Treat for Bleeding and Shock

1. Scrub hands thoroughly with soap and disinfected water.

2. Put on latex gloves to prevent the spread of infectious disease.

3. Apply direct pressure and elevate the stump to stop the bleeding. Amputations may have anything from mild bleeding to very severe bleeding. See "How to Stop Mild Bleeding During First Aid" and "How to Treat Severe Bleeding During First Aid."

4. Treat the injured person for shock. See "How to Treat for Shock."

5. Apply a tourniquet if direct pressure and elevation do not control the bleeding. See "How to Make and Apply a Tourniquet During First Aid."

Clean and Bandage the Wound

6. Prepare a disinfectant solution of 1 oz. povidone-iodine solution and 1 liter disinfected water. See "How to Disinfect Water."

7. Set the disinfectant solution aside for about five minutes.

8. Draw the disinfectant solution into an irrigation syringe.

9. Hold the syringe perpendicular to the wound, about 2 to 3 inches above it. Angle the syringe and tilt the wound so that the solution will enter the wound and drain away from the opening.

10. Press down on the plunger to emit a forceful stream of solution.

11. Repeat the irrigation, using 1/2 to 1 liter of solution. You may need to use more if the wound is especially dirty.

12. Rinse the wound liberally with disinfected water, because the disinfectant solution may cause irritation to the skin if left on.

13. Recheck the wound for bleeding, because blood clots may have been dislodged. You may have to apply pressure to stop bleeding. See "How to Stop Mild Bleeding."

14. Check the clothing and area around the injured person to make sure his or her skin won't be exposed to disinfectant solution for a prolonged period of time, since this may cause burning.

15. Leave the wound open (do not attempt to close it), but cover it with a bulky bandage. See "How to Bandage a Wound During First Aid."

16. Evacuate immediately.

17. Administer high dosages of oral or intravenous antibiotics if evacuation is delayed more than two hours.

Save the Amputated Body Part

18. Rinse the amputated body part with disinfected water. See "How to Disinfect Water."

19. Wrap the amputated body part in dry sterile gauze.

20. Place the wrapped body part in a clean and waterproof plastic bag and seal the bag.

21. Place the sealed plastic bag in ice water, making sure no water can get into the bag and that the body part does not get wet. Do not place the body part on ice, or it may freeze or be injured by the cold.

22. Transport the body part to the hospital along with the injured person.

Tips & Warnings

• Infectious diseases such as AIDS and hepatitis are transmitted via the exchange of bodily fluids. Protect yourself by wearing latex gloves. Wear goggles or glasses to protect against spurting blood or fluids. Wear a surgical mask to prevent the spread of other diseases. If you don't have gloves, a surgical mask and goggles, improvise by placing your hand in a plastic bag, wearing sunglasses, and covering your mouth with a bandanna.
• Only apply a tourniquet to a wound if death from bleeding is imminent. Incorrect use of a tourniquet can lead to loss of the limb, so tourniquets should only be used by those with proper training.
• This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.

Who Can Help Sponsored

• How to Lose 30+lbs Guaranteed. Try it Free.