First aid in Orthopedic Cases

In all times and especially in this time (corona outbreak) we should know what to do as first aid with orthopedic emergencies (trauma or wound).

- First question comes in mind is how sever is the injury?

- Is there any fracture? or just minor trauma.

- Is there head or neck trauma?

- Is there sever bleeding or deep wound?

First calm the individual. Remove any portion of clothes covering the affected area, if there is bleeding put pressure on the surrounding area to control it, rinse the wound by normal saline (or clean water in case of small superficial wounds).Try to remove any foreign material from the wound (soil, stone)  and wrap the wound with bandage.

If there is severe pain and the patient cant move the arm or leg , then there is suspected fracture. Try to straighten the limb with traction and stabilize it with splint or piece of wood and lift the injured area above the heart level if possible and apply ice  to the injured area to reduce swelling.

Sure you should call the emergency in case of severe trauma or any car accident or fall from heights.

Emergency should be immediately called in case when

• The patient is unresponsive
• Not breathing
• Severe bleeding and has deep open wound
• Head or neck is fractured
• There is suspected fracture in arm or leg (the  limb looks deformed)
• There is obvious fracture and the bone has pierced the skin or the injured limb or finger looks bluish.