Articles Tagged with amputation

Finger amputations may sound small but they really cause a lot of changes in the way the patient performs certain activities, such as punching the buttons on a phone or using a keyboard. This is why the surgeon will attempt to put the finger back on if it is severed from the hand.

When a finger is initially severed, the bystander should wrap the amputated finger in moist, cool gauze. The finger should not be immersed in water because it can become waterlogged. Simply use a paper towel if you have no medical gauze. Put the finger on ice with a Ziploc bag. Do not use dry ice for this part of the process. If there will be an attempt to reimplant the finger, there should be immediate medical attention with a surgeon who can put arteries, veins and nerves back together. The time from amputation to reimplantation should be less than 12 hours.

Subway accidents can have devastating consequences for those involved. In fact, many people do not survive pedestrian versus subway collisions. While the subway system is designed with the intent to be safe, they are not immune to issues. When things do go wrong, people suffer from permanent severe injury and death.

One study conducted a retrospective review using information between 1989 and 2003. In the study, they found 41 patients who were involved in a subway accident and that had presented to Bellevue Hospital in New York City for treatment. The researchers collected pertinent information such as the patient’s age, gender, Injury Severity Score, the time of the accident, and the mechanism by which the accident happened.

Above the elbow amputations are also called trans-humeral amputations and are more difficult than below the elbow amputations to fit with prostheses that are comfortable and functional. When the injury happens at the level of the elbow or above, the person must have a transhumeral amputation with the attempt made to have the stump as long as possible. Longer stumps can help the individual use the prosthesis more effectively.

Another above the elbow amputation that is more severe is through the shoulder with shoulder disarticulation. These are the hardest to place with a prosthesis that the patient can easily use and tend to be unwieldy and more for aesthetics than for functionality. The more joints that have to be replaced, the harder it is to have a functional prosthetic.

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