A pre-hospital team arrives at a farm where a worker has had his arm caught in a grain auger. The arm is mangled and non-viable, clearly requiring amp...

Question

A pre-hospital team arrives at a farm where a worker has had his arm caught in a grain auger. The arm is mangled and non-viable, clearly requiring amputation. The patient is conscious and in extremis with uncontrolled haemorrhage. In this situation, can a pre-hospital physician perform a field amputation?

Accepted Answer

In extremis with immediate threat to life from uncontrolled haemorrhage and no other option for extrication, field amputation may be considered by appropriately trained and credentialled clinicians as a last resort

Answer

Field amputation should be performed by fire and rescue using cutting tools

Answer

Field amputation is never permitted under any circumstances

Answer

Any doctor can perform a field amputation in an emergency

Answer

Only veterinary surgeons are trained in field amputations

uk-dipimc MCQ (SBA): Pre-Hospital Field Amputation