According to statistics, almost every person at least once in his life faced such an injury as a fracture. In the United States of America, about seven million cases are recorded daily, in Russia - all nine million. This pathology most often makes people turn to traumatologists, and during the holidays and ice, there are even more patients: drunkenness and falls provoke dislocations and fractures of the limbs. First aid in this case can not only minimize the likelihood of complications, but also save a person's life.
The most common causes of fractures
directed. Some fractures occur as a result of some disease: the integrity of the bone can be broken even without external influence, but only because of the pathological weakness of the bone tissue. Pathological fractures can be the result of bone tuberculosis, severe osteoporosis, cancer (the spread of metastases or direct localization of a malignant neoplasm in bone tissue), or myeloma.
Brief statistics of bone damage
Fractures are more common in boys and young men. Representatives of the stronger sex work in industries where there is a risk of injury, drink alcohol more often, which is associated with drunken fights and driving while intoxicated, and love extreme sports. Most often, men experience dislocations and fractures of the limbs (first aid should be provided immediately), ribs and bones of the facial part of the skull.
In women, due to osteoporosis developing with age, the risk of injury increases by the age of 45-50. In addition to menopause, pregnancy and lactation are a dangerous period, when the body is deficient in calcium, the center of gravity shifts, and visibility is limited to a large belly.
Similar injuries are common in childhood. Fractures account for up to 20% of all injuries in children who are naturally active, active and inquisitive.
Classification of limb fractures
First aid for fractures of limbs duringmuch depends on the nature of the damage. There are several criteria for dividing fractures into groups:
- Due to the occurrence: traumatic (caused by external influence) or pathological (internal factors contributed to the fracture: complications of various diseases, deficiency of certain vitamins and minerals)
- By severity: there are fractures with displacement, when bone fragments can injure surrounding tissues, or without displacement, if bone fragments are held by muscles and tendons. There are also incomplete fractures, which are called chips or cracks.
- According to the integrity of the skin: an open fracture is characterized by a superficial wound, while a closed fracture does not communicate with the external environment.
- According to the shape and direction of damage: helical, straight, longitudinal, oblique and transverse fractures.
First Aid for Fractures: Procedure
If fractures of the bones of the limbs occur, first aid can halve the likelihood of their complications, and in some cases even save lives. The main thing is that all activities are carried out correctly and in a timely manner.
First aid for fractures of the extremities includes a number of measures aimed at determining the type of fracture (the actions of the person providing first aid differ depending on what you have to deal with - with an open or closed fracture, whether there is a concomitant pain shock and other complications) and directly providing the necessary assistance. The victim should then be taken tohospital or ensure the arrival of doctors to the scene.
How is first aid provided for broken limbs? In general, assistance is provided as follows:
- It is necessary to give an objective assessment of the condition of the victim, make sure that there is a fracture and determine the further course of action. First aid for broken limbs is only done if the patient is already safe.
- If the victim is unconscious and not breathing, the first step should be to carry out resuscitation and bring him to his senses.
- For open fractures, you must first stop the bleeding and treat the wound with an antiseptic to avoid infection, if possible, it is desirable to apply a sterile bandage.
- If medicines are available, anesthetize the injured limb by injecting ketorolac (1 ampoule), novocaine (5 ml) or other suitable agent.
- It is necessary to immobilize the limb and call an ambulance. In some cases, it is allowed to independently deliver the victim to a medical facility.
Symptoms and signs of fractured limbs
First aid for fractures of limbs is provided only if you are convinced that the victim received a fracture, and not another kind of damage. So, the absolute signs of a fractured limb are:
- visible deformation of the damaged area;
- in some cases - the impossibility of movement;
- increased mobility, unnatural position of the arm/leg (or parts thereof);
- superficial wound and visible bone fragments in an open fracture;
- characteristic crunch at the moment of impact.
Relative signs of a fracture, i.e. symptoms that in some cases may accompany other injuries, are:
- pain in the injured area that gets worse with movement;
- hematoma, with throbbing pain indicating continued internal bleeding;
- swelling and swelling in the area of injury, which can develop as early as 15 minutes after the fracture;
- limited mobility, the injured limb usually does not function at all or partially.
Assessment of the condition of the victim
First aid for an open fracture of a limb, a closed injury, cracks or other injuries involves examining the victim, assessing his condition and the situation around the scene. If the danger is still present, people should be evacuated to a safe place and only then begin to provide first aid.
The victim must be examined for additional damage, bleeding, potential injuries, to check the main indicators of vital functions: the presence and frequency of pulse and respiration, the ability to respond to external stimuli (light, sound). If the person is conscious, you should establish contact with the victim, ask aboutcomplaints, localization and nature of pain.
What is important, it is unacceptable to move the victim unless absolutely necessary and without imposing transport tires on the injured limb.
Unconscious victim
First aid for fractures of limbs involves bringing a person to consciousness and resuscitation if necessary. So, you should provide the victim with peace and try to bring the person to consciousness with the help of external stimuli - patting on the cheeks, cold water or cotton wool soaked in ammonia and brought to the nose.
Resuscitation
If there is no breathing and pulse, artificial respiration and heart massage should be performed. For successful resuscitation, the victim must lie on a hard surface. One hand should hold the chin, the other - pinch the nose. The head of the victim is slightly thrown back, the mouth should be open. The person providing assistance takes a deep breath, and then a smooth exhalation, tightly covering the mouth of the victim. Artificial respiration should be carried out through a napkin or a special device. Exhalation into the victim's mouth should be done every four seconds until spontaneous breathing is restored.
An indirect heart massage is performed as follows: the person providing first aid places his hands crosswise on his chestthe victim and makes pressure (the chest should fall by four to five centimeters). You should do 30 pushes, and then change the compression to ventilation of the lungs. Resuscitation is carried out in the ratio of thirty shocks to two breaths.
Traumatic Shock Procedure
In case of traumatic shock, first aid for fractures of the lower extremities (as well as the upper ones) involves stopping bleeding, providing comfortable conditions (for example, a person should be covered in the cold to prevent frostbite) and prompt medical care in a hospital setting. If there are no fractures of the lower extremities, the victim's legs should be raised by 15-30 centimeters.
Bleed control and wound care
First aid for an open fracture of the extremities involves stopping bleeding and treating the wound. Firstly, the correct position should be given to the limb and freed from clothing, since the increasing swelling in the future may not allow this to be done. Next, you need to apply a tourniquet or tight bandage on the wound (preferably sterile) and treat the edges of the damaged skin with a disinfectant. Be sure to record the exact time the dressing was applied.
You can give the victim an analgesic to relieve pain. Suitable analgin, paracetamol, "Nurofen", "Ketorol" and the like. In a hospital, if necessary, stronger, narcotic painkillers can be used. Tothese include Fentanyl, Nalbuphine, or Promedrol.
Immobilization of an injured limb
First aid for fractures of the limbs involves immobilization of the damaged area of the bone. The immobility of the limb can be ensured in several ways: tying the injured lower limb to a he althy one, fixing it with improvised means, bandaging a broken arm to the body. If it is not possible to provide transport immobilization with special tires, any flat solid object can be used. Fix the arm or leg should be in a normal physiological position. Be sure to put a cotton-gauze pad between the splint and the limb.
When immobilizing, there are several rules and requirements to consider:
- the splint must immobilize at least two joints to prevent additional soft tissue damage from bone fragments;
- the size of the fixing bar should be comparable to the damaged area;
- immobilization is usually carried out over clothes and shoes, but it is worth removing voluminous things from the victim;
- First aid for fractures of the upper limbs (as well as the lower ones) is provided with an assistant whenever possible.
After carrying out all the necessary measures to provide first aid, be sure to call an ambulance. The victim will need qualified medical assistance and care.
