Shark Week puts shark bite survival in focus with ER doc’s expert tips
“It may be painful, but it is necessary,” Perry noted.
This aligns with national trauma protocols from the American College of Surgeons’ Stop the Bleed initiative, which emphasizes that effective tourniquet placement requires firm, tight compression to fully stop arterial blood flow.
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No. 3: Adapt for delayed medical care
Tourniquets are temporary tools and should be used for as short a duration as possible, Perry cautioned. There is a maximum window of about two hours before tissue damage occurs from lack of oxygenated blood flow.
A tourniquet is a tight band or device applied around a bleeding limb to compress blood vessels and temporarily stop the flow of blood during a life-threatening hemorrhage. (iStock)
If someone is stranded in a remote area and immediate emergency transport is unavailable, Perry recommends using a pressure dressing.
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This involves folding gauze multiple times, placing it directly over the specific point of bleeding, and wrapping it tightly. While a pressure dressing does not eliminate blood loss as completely as a tourniquet, it carries a much lower risk of tissue necrosis (death) during prolonged waits.
No. 4: Calm the victim and monitor consciousness
Tourniquets should only remain applied for a maximum of two hours to prevent irreversible tissue damage from lack of blood flow, the doctor advised. (iStock)
Bystanders play a crucial role beyond physical first aid by helping the victim stay motionless and quiet. Panic increases heart rate and blood pressure, which accelerates blood loss, the doctor noted.
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Loss of consciousness after a shark attack can have more than one cause, Perry said.
A sudden drop in blood pressure and the body’s stress response may trigger fainting. If the victim was deep underwater and surfaced too quickly during the attack, unconsciousness could signal a pressure-related diving injury, such as arterial gas embolism or barotrauma, which requires emergency treatment.
No. 5: Prepare for secondary risks
Bystanders should actively help the victim relax, as elevated heart rates and higher blood pressure accelerate the rate of blood loss. (iStock)
While controlling blood loss is crucial in the first five minutes, long-term recovery involves fighting off severe marine bacteria.
Aquatic bites are notorious sources of aggressive skin and soft-tissue infections like cellulitis, Perry warned.
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Once a patient is resuscitated with fluids and blood products at a medical facility, aggressive antibiotic treatment usually follows.
Khloe Quill is a lifestyle writer with Fox News Digital. She and the lifestyle team cover a range of story topics including food and drink, travel, and health.
Article source: https://www.foxnews.com/health/shark-week-puts-shark-bite-survival-focus-er-docs-expert-tips