Improper first aid for fractures can easily cause death

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Mr. Dung, a resident of Ho Chi Minh City, had a motorbike accident during a business trip to the West. He broke his leg and lost a lot of blood. Instead of receiving first aid on the spot and waiting for a suitable vehicle to transport him, people nearby picked him up on a motorbike to take him to the medical station. His leg was saved but the damage was quite severe, then he had to operate again and again and now it is very difficult to move his leg.

Caring for the youngest 24-year-old girl who has been paralyzed for nearly 3 months, Nguyen Thi Ly, who lives in District 11, Ho Chi Minh City, said that her daughter is also a victim of broken bones without proper first aid. . Having an accident while traveling on the road, she suffered a mild cervical vertebrae injury. During the chaos, people around picked up the victim and brought her to the hospital, causing her to cut her spinal cord leading to total paralysis.

"Doctors said that there are some cases where the child's life can not be saved because of being held in an accident like my son," said Ms. Ly.

According to Dr. Nguyen Dinh Phu, Deputy Director of 115 People's Hospital, the situation of victims not dying from accidental injuries but dying from improper first aid is quite common.

"The hospital has received many cases of patients with broken bones, without proper first aid, the broken bones collided, leading to shock, more severe and critical injuries," said Dr. Doctor Phu said.

Complications of improper first aid:

Early complications:

Hemorrhagic shock due to bone and soft tissue damage: Patients can die from blood loss. Need to fix the broken limb firmly and gently move the patient to the nearest medical facility. Use anti-shock and analgesic drugs, timely blood transfusion to save the patient's life.

Acute compartment syndrome due to hematoma in muscle compartments: This is a dangerous complication, if not detected in time, there is a risk of necrosis requiring amputation, affecting the quality of life of people. sick. The patient should be surgically decompressed early and promptly emergency.

Open fracture: The fracture is open to the outside environment, threatening infection and bone inflammation. This complication often costs a lot, long-term treatment affects the ability to work. Contaminated tissue should be excised, the wound cleaned, appropriate antibiotics, and solid external fixation required.

Nerve damage: Fractures can cause nerve damage due to the sharp cutting edge of the broken bone, if not diagnosed and detected in time, it can lead to lifelong disability, the patient is no longer able to work due to limb loss. motor function. Emergency treatment is an early stage neurosurgery, which helps to restore nerves quite high, the ability to restore movement and sensation of the limbs will be almost normal.

Blood vessel damage: As with nerve damage, bone fragments can bruise blood vessels or cause major blood vessels to rupture. Early treatment can save the patient's life. It is necessary to quickly diagnose the broken blood vessel and treat the suture in time to help blood flow again. Late emergency care that can cause death or amputation is common and disabling, contributing to a burden on society.

Fat vascular occlusion syndrome: Fractures cause the amount of fat in the bone marrow to overflow, increasing pressure and the risk of fat moving into the bloodstream. This complication, if not detected, is often fatal. The need for early oxygen, appropriate doses and timely anti-inflammatory drugs will save the patient's life.

Late complications:

Failure to comply with the indications, inappropriate methods of treatment, or the use of herbal medicine when it is not properly corrected and fixed will lead to late complications.

Slow bone healing: Due to medical diseases accompanied by anemia, osteoporosis, diabetes... it is necessary to detect and supplement drugs to overcome medical diseases, if any.

Displaced bone healing: Complications due to the patient's early movement or premature compression, failure to comply with re-examination or arbitrary compression without the opinion of a specialist. It is necessary to strictly follow and adhere to the treatment instructions when there is a fracture.

Prosthetic joint: Due to the fibrous tissue inserted between the two fractures, the bone does not heal. The cause is usually due to the patient's early mobilization before the prescribed time, untimely osteotomy or unstable bone. It is necessary to guide the patient to have regular check-ups and have appropriate activities.

Note when giving first aid to people with broken bones:

- Find means such as bamboo and wooden splints to temporarily fix the broken bone, in order not to damage the blood vessels and nerves around the fracture.

Note, the brace must be long enough to fix both the upper and lower joints of the fracture. Do not place a stiff brace close to the limb but must have a padding made of cotton, gauze...

- For open fractures, it is forbidden to arbitrarily push the ends of the bones with a lot of sand into the soft tissue, it is necessary to disinfect around the wound, do not pour antiseptics or antibiotics into the wound.

- Quickly and gently bring the victim to the nearest medical facility. Note that in the process of transferring the victim, it is necessary to use means to help the victim lie still, not shocked or shaken. Minimizing the transportation of victims by motorbike.

Le Phuong - VnExpress