Medics Cut Off Trapped Man's Arm

mikie333 said:
This probably sounds horrible, but could you use the 'jaws of life' (cutter) to amputate?

and ya, you guys are probably right about the details in the article (or lack thereof)
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I think that use of the O-Cutters would probably cause crushing, etc of the tissues... and would probably not be the preferred method.
 
One of my prior instructors mentioned there being a CE class on field amputations.


I believe it was something along the lines of using a scalpel to cut all the tissue you could, and then using whatever available to cut the bone.
 
I just couldn’t grasp the idea of hacking off the rest of a patients arm with something like the sawzall we carry on our rigs. glad its not in my scope.
 
zacdav89 said:
I just couldn’t grasp the idea of hacking off the rest of a patients arm with something like the sawzall we carry on our rigs. glad its not in my scope.
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Thankfully, there is almost no circumstance when it would be necessary. At least, not of a living patient. And it should be such a last resort that there is no question as to whether it's necessary or not, and all other options have been exhausted. It's a very permanent thing, even if the amputated limb is preserved properly and reattached. As always, just be prepared and learn about it. I hope no one here ever has to do it - I hope I never have to do it - but I know that I'm prepared to if it's necessary.

That is, once you're of sufficient level. :)
 
Had a patient once lost most of the right arm to abrasion at the elbow in a roll over, Her hand was trapped in the crushed top of the car. Had to use shears to cut what little skin was keeping he trapped. FD brought hand in 20 min.s after our arrival at ER. Doc.s sewed back on and shes happy they did, short arm and all.
 
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