|
|
Medical Education Division |
Operational Medicine 2001
Second United States Revision of The Emergency War Surgery NATO
Handbook
United States Department of Defense
Home · Military Medicine · Sick Call · Basic Exams · Medical Procedures · Lab and X-ray · The Pharmacy · The Library · Equipment · Patient Transport · Medical Force Protection · Operational Safety · Operational Settings · Special Operations · Humanitarian Missions · Instructions/Orders · Other Agencies · Video Gallery · Phone Consultation · Forms · Web Links · Acknowledgements · Help · Feedback
|
Emergency War Surgery NATO Handbook: Part III: General Considerations of Wound Management: Chapter XVII: Crush Injury Local ManagementUnited States Department of Defense The early splinting of major soft-tissue injuries and fractures is urgently important in crush injuries to minimize hypotension. To reduce tissue metabolism, the limb is kept cool by exposure to air. Unnecessary dressings and unnecessary movements of the limb are hazardous, as they cause the release of deleterious substances, particularly potassium in potentially lethal amounts, into the general circulation. A tense and swollen limb should be decompressed immediately by liberal incision of the fascia. This measure is particularly urgent when the pressure of extravasated fluid impairs circulation. An early amputation is indicated when the limb is so severely crushed that it is obvious that function cannot be restored or when it is the only emergency procedure that permits extrication of the victim from under unmovable rubble. Debrided wounds and fasciotomy incisions should not be closed primarily.
Approved for public release; Distribution is unlimited. The listing of any non-Federal product in this CD is not an endorsement of the product itself, but simply an acknowledgement of the source. Operational Medicine 2001 Health Care in Military Settings
This web version is provided by The Brookside Associates Medical Education Division. It contains original contents from the official US Navy NAVMED P-5139, but has been reformatted for web access and includes advertising and links that were not present in the original version. This web version has not been approved by the Department of the Navy or the Department of Defense. The presence of any advertising on these pages does not constitute an endorsement of that product or service by either the US Department of Defense or the Brookside Associates. The Brookside Associates is a private organization, not affiliated with the United States Department of Defense. |