Assessment and management of limb injuries in the pre-hospital environment

Abstract

Limb trauma is probably the commonest injury that a pre-hospital carer will encounter. In isolation it is rarely life threatening and it should be remembered that the care of the airway, breathing and circulation must taken precedence. Exceptionally a limb injury influences the care of the above, for example external blood loss from a injury that requires immediate haemorrhage control. Limb injuries may pose multiple problems to pre-hospital care personnel particularly with regard to immobilization, appropriate pain relief and subsequent safe painless extrication.