Amputee care
Safe, cold & fast!
Available in 2 days, delivery time 1-3 days
Available, delivery time: 1-3 days
Available, delivery time: 1-3 days
Available, delivery time: 1-3 days
Available, delivery time: 1-3 days
Most amputations are caused by accidents in the workplace (for example when working with circular saws or chainsaws) or in road accidents. Long periods of absence or even occupational disability are often the result.
Thanks to modern surgical techniques, it is now possible to replant successfully in most cases. In principle, almost every amputation injury has a chance of successful replantation.
Smooth amputation margins, such as those resulting from a cut, are an advantage. However, replantation is also possible in the case of splintered bone edges and torn soft tissue.
Proper care andtransport of the amputation are crucial here.
What is amputation care in an emergency?
Emergency care for amputations includes all immediate measures following an accident involving the loss of limbs or extremities. The focus is on controlling bleeding, preventing infection and properly preserving the amputated limb to maximise the chances of successful recovery. Fast, precise action and the right set of tools are essential for this.
Why is the correct treatment of an amputation so important?
Proper initial treatment of the amputation is crucial to significantly increase the chances of a successful replantation. Improper handling can damage the cells of the amputation and make healing impossible. Every minute counts and the correct procedure can be decisive for the subsequent result.
How should you proceed with amputation care?
In the event of an amputation, quick action is required to stabilise the injured person and prevent further damage. The following steps should therefore be followed as part of amputation care:
- Request medical assistance. Firstly, professional medical help should be called immediately. Give a clear description of the emergency and the condition of the injured person.
- Bleeding control: The bleeding should be brought under control as quickly as possible using a pressure bandage or tourniquet to minimise blood loss. Other life-saving measures should also be initiated if necessary.
- Careful handling and preparation of the amputation: The amputated limb must be prepared for transport, taking care to manipulate it as little as possible to avoid additional damage.
Safe transport and storage of amputates
The Dr Marx replantation bag increases the chances of success for an upcoming replantation by providing the patient with the best possible transport conditions for the replant. The special design of the bag offers protection against
- mechanical influences of any kind
- temperatures that are too high or too low
- Water or other substances
- as well as against bacterial contamination
Its innovative double-wall system consists of two bags of different lengths. The inner bag is used to keep the amputation dry, while the outer bag is used to hold a coolant (such as Dr Marx artificial ice with water). Depending on the size of the amputation, there is a choice of three different versions: Size S (finger/hand), size M (arm) and size L (leg). Self-explanatory pictograms on the packaging help every first aider to use the Dr Marx replant bags correctly.
What products are available for emergency amputee care?
In our range you will find a carefully selected range of products that are indispensable in an emergency:
- Amputation bags: these are specially designed to preserve the amputation under optimum conditions. They protect the tissue and help to regulate the temperature.
- Tourniquets and pressure dressings: These are essential to effectively control heavy bleeding and minimise blood loss.
- Sterile packaging and cooling components: These are used to safely store and transport the amputation and ensure that the tissue remains in the best possible condition until arrival at the hospital.
Keep cool - how to secure a severed body part
As a general rule, the severed body part should be packed sterile and cooled and brought to the hospital with the casualty as quickly as possible.
- Wrap the amputation in a dry, sterile cloth
- Place the wrapped amputation in the inner replantation bag/li>
- Close it tightly
- Fill the second, outer replantation bag with artificial ice and water
It is essential to avoid direct contact between the amputation and the coolant.
Why are cooling and the time factor so important during an amputation?
Time management is an important success factor in the case of replantation. The time between amputation and the ability to restore blood flow, also known as anoxaemia time, determines the survivability of the tissue, as does correct cooling and the size of the amputation.
While smaller amputations without much muscle (such as a finger) have an anoxaemia time of up to 24 hours with appropriate cooling, this is significantly less than eight hours for muscle-rich amputations.
Without cooling, the amputates only last less than four hours. Irreversible damage to the muscle cells can already be detected after these time windows have elapsed.
Replantations as a miracle of modern microsurgery
Replantation refers to the reattachment of tissue or an extremity whose blood supply has been completely interrupted by complete or partial severance. Without a vascular anastomosis (a natural or surgically created connection between two vessels), these cannot survive. Specialised microsurgical techniques allow the nerves and blood vessels to be physically reconnected. It is then possible to regain the functionality of the body parts through targeted therapies.