This page will help you prepare and respond correctly to provide first aid for traumatic amputation.
When Does Traumatic Amputation Occur?
The loss of a body part, usually a finger, arm, or leg, occurs due to an accident or injury.
The most common accidents causing amputation:
- Factory accidents.
- Farm accidents.
- Misuse of power tools.
- Car accidents.
- Natural disasters.
- Wars.
What Are the Symptoms of a Traumatic Amputation?
- Pain.
- Bleeding, which varies in amount depending on the location and nature of the injury.
How to Handle Traumatic Amputation?
- Call an ambulance.
- Ensure the injured person is breathing and their heart rate is normal.
- If necessary, start artificial respiration, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), or control the bleeding.
- Try to calm the injured person as much as possible.
- Attempt to stop the bleeding by applying direct pressure on the wound with gauze or a clean cloth and elevating the amputated limb.
- If the bleeding is severe and persistent, begin wrapping a bandage around the amputated limb to stop the bleeding.
- Stay with the injured person until the ambulance arrives.
The Amputated Part:
- Preserve the amputated body part and ensure it stays with the injured person.
- Do not wash the amputated part.
- Wrap the severed part in a moist, clean cloth, then place it in a sealed plastic bag and put the bag in water containing ice.
- Do not place the amputated part directly in water or ice without using the plastic bag.
- Ensure the amputated part is handed over to the ambulance.
Ambulance Numbers in Gulf Countries:
- Oman: 9999.
- Saudi Arabia: 997.
- Kuwait: 112.
- Qatar: 999.
- UAE: 998.
- Bahrain: 999.
- Yemen: 195.
