First Aid/Severed Body Parts

A severed body part (amputation) is a series soft and sometimes hard tissue injury that if left untreated may be lethal or become seriously infected. Treatment of this injury takes place during the C part of the primary survey by placing a tourniquet about 20 cm (8 inchs) above the injury and immediately calling EMS for advance treatment and a trip to the ER.

There are 2 types of tourniquets:

1. Rubber – a simple role of rubber that makes a good first choice. Just role the tourniquet around The limb so tight that it blocks the main artery and tie it securely.

2. Improvised – a more complicated kind that can be used at a pinch. For the arm take a long peace of materiel and create a half loop around your hand take the 2 strings and pull them partly through the loop to create a full loop. Place the loop over the arm and tighten by pulling the 2 ends to both sides and tie as tightly as possible then tie on opposite side in a knot. For the leg (only for femoral bleeding) –tie on the outside of the leg once place a long thin object on top and tie once more. Twist tight and tie on the inside securely.