Dress and bandage the stump or exposed area of a partial amputation.

The dressing will absorb drainage from the wound and help to protect the wound from additional contamination and further injury. This is accomplished during the tactical field care phase as the situation permits. The dressing and bandage should not interfere with or hide the tourniquet. The dressing can be secured with an elastic roller bandage using the recurrent wrap technique described below and in figure 2-25.

NOTE: The tourniquet and the dressing are not shown in figure 2-25. A similar technique can be used to secure a dressing applied to a complete amputation of part of the hand or foot.)

a. Lay the end of the bandage on the limb below the tourniquet and at an angle so one corner (apex) of the bandage is pointing upward.

b. Wrap the bandage completely around the limb; then wrap the bandage around a second time.

c. Turn down the apex (shown as a small triangle in figure 2-25 A) so it lies on top of the second layer of the bandage and wrap the bandage around the limb a third time. The bandage is now anchored.

d. Bring the bandage down diagonally across the front of the limb (figure 2-25 A), over the dressing on the stump to the back of the limb. Hold the bandage in back so it will not slip.

e. Bring the bandage from the back of the limb, over the dressing again, and to the front. Move diagonally up across the front of the limb, forming an “X” pattern with the downward diagonal (figure 2-25 B). Bring the bandage around the limb and to the front.

f. Form the first recurrent (running back to the source). Put your thumb on the top of the bandage to keep it in place, make a fold, bring the bandage down, over the far side of the dressing, and up the back (figure 2-25 C). Hold the dressing in place on the back of the limb with your index finger.

g. Form the second recurrent. Make a fold at the back and bring the bandage down, over the opposite side of the dressing, and up the front (figure 2-25 D).

h. Continue the wrapping procedure. Overlap each layer about one half the width of the previous layer. Continue to hold each succeeding layer securely in place with your thumb and index finger.

i. When the dressing and stump end have been completely covered, reverse the direction of the bandage and make two circular turns to cover the gathered ends you have held with your thumb and index finger. This locks the recurrents in place.

j. Move diagonally down and across the stump from the locking turn, encasing the edges of the recurrents. Then move back diagonally to form another “X” pattern.

k. Overlap the “X” pattern with another circular turn.

l. Secure the end of the bandage (figure 2-25 E). The bandage can be tied, taped, clipped, or pinned.