WARNING: Some Graphic Images are shown

 

The following was sent to us by a correspondent:

 

The victim (name witheld) while riding his bike was on his way home in a village located between Jega and Birnin Kebbi when he was attacked by armed robbers and robbed  of his belongings. He was beaten up and badly injured after the attack then left on the road side before the robbers left the scene.

Though he was left for dead, he was rescued by the police and rushed to the Federal Medical Centre Kebbi.

 

On arrival, our source said the victim was fully conscious, but had suffered massisve blood loss due to the cuts and injuries suffered, also lost three fingers from his right hand (two of which were recovered). There was loss of sensation distal to the cut in the left hand as the nerves and ulner bones were also damaged probably due to "knife attacks".

 

He was immediately transfused after the bleeding was arrested. 

The hand was aligned and the patient referred to the orthopaedic and plastic surgeons...

 

Our source also said "He's doing ok, but its likely he would loose the hand".

 

 

Its always best if basic first aid is performed on a victim before he or she is rushed to the Hospital. First aid is the provision of initial care for an illness or injury. It is usually performed by non-experts (or sometimes by an expert in case of an emergency), but trained personnel to a sick or injured person until definitive medical treatment can be accessed. Certain self-limiting illnesses or minor injuries may not require further medical care past the first aid intervention. It generally consists of a series of simple and in some cases, potentially life-saving techniques that an individual can be trained to perform with minimal equipment.

 

Below are some Basic First Aid Tips to use during traumas:

If an accident or trauma results in complete amputation (the body part is totally severed), the part sometimes can be reattached, especially when proper care is taken of the severed part and stump. In a partial amputation, some soft-tissue connection remains. Depending on the severity of the injury, the partially severed extremity may or may not be able to be reattached.

 

There are various complications associated with amputation of a body part. The most important of these are bleeding, shock, and infection.

 

The long-term outcome for amputees has improved due to better understanding of the management of traumatic amputation, early emergency and critical care management, new surgical techniques, early rehabilitation, and new prosthetic designs. New limb replantation techniques have been moderately successful, but incomplete nerve regeneration remains a major limiting factor. Often, the patient will have a better outcome from having a well-fitting, functional prosthesis than a nonfunctional replanted limb.

 

Causes

Traumatic amputations usually result directly from factory, farm, or power tool accidents or from motor vehicle accidents. Natural disasters, war, and terrorist attacks can also cause traumatic amputations.

 

Symptoms

A body part that has been completely or partially cut off

Bleeding (may be minimal or severe, depending on the location and nature of the injury)

Pain (the degree of pain is not always related to the severity of the injury or the amount of bleeding)

Crushed body tissue (badly mangled, but still partially attached by muscle, bone, tendon, or skin)

 

First Aid

Check the person's airway (open if necessary); check breathing and circulation. If necessary, begin rescue breathing, CPR, or bleeding control.

Try to calm and reassure the person as much as possible. Amputation is painful and extremely frightening.

Control bleeding by applying direct pressure to the wound. Raise the injured area. If the bleeding continues, recheck the source of the bleeding and reapply direct pressure, with help from someone who is not tired. If the person has life-threatening bleeding, a tight bandage or tourniquet will be easier to use than direct pressure on the wound. However, using a tight bandage for a long time may do more harm than good.

Save any severed body parts and make sure they stay with the patient. Remove any dirty material that can contaminate the wound, if possible. Gently rinse the body part if the cut end is dirty.

Wrap the severed part in a clean, damp cloth, place it in a sealed plastic bag and place the bag in ice cold water.

Do NOT directly put the body part in water without using a plastic bag.

Do NOT put the severed part directly on ice. Do NOT use dry ice as this will cause frostbite and injury to the part.

If cold water is not available, keep the part away from heat as much as possible. Save it for the medical team, or take it to the hospital. Cooling the severed part will keep it useable for about 18 hours. Without cooling, it will only remain useable for about 4 to 6 hours.

Keep the patient warm.

Take steps to prevent shock. Lay the person flat, raise the feet about 12 inches, and cover the person with a coat or blanket. Do NOT place the person in this position if a head, neck, back, or leg injury is suspected or if it makes the victim uncomfortable.

Once the bleeding is under control, check the person for other signs of injury that require emergency treatment. Treat fractures, additional cuts, and other injuries appropriately.

Stay with the person until medical help arrives.

 

DO NOT

Do NOT forget that saving the person's life is more important than saving a body part (save the body part if you can though).

Do NOT overlook other, less obvious, injuries.

Do NOT attempt to push any part back into place.

Do NOT decide that a body part is too small to save.

Do NOT place a tourniquet, unless the bleeding is life threatening, as the entire limb may be harmed.

Do NOT raise false hopes of reattachment.

. Avalon