Leg Amputated After Getting Stuck Cave

[BrianFrank]

"A trapped climber had to have his leg amputated after jamming his foot between rocks in a harrowing cliff-side scene reminiscent of the film 127 hours.
Tsenolo Shadrack Rasello had his limb severed after getting stuck in a cave for almost 50 hours while hiking in the dangerous Magaliesberg mountain range near Johannesburg in South Africa,
After calling for help from his mobile phone, rescuers were forced to perform the procedure on Sunday."

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2771695/The-real-127-Hours-Trapped-climber-leg-amputated-halfway-cliff-foot-got-jammed-rocks.html

[Tlaloc]

"After calling for help from his mobile phone, rescuers were forced to perform the procedure on Sunday"

At least the rescuers were able to call on the victim's phone.

[Caving Guru]

"After calling for help from his mobile phone, rescuers were forced to perform the procedure on Sunday"

At least the rescuers were able to call on the victim's phone.

If you read the article, it was the victim that made the phone call, to call for help with his cell phone when he got his leg stuck between the two rocks. I assume he was alone when he got stuck. He is lucky that there was good enough cell phone coverage there in South Africa where he was.

[trogman]

It is surprising that they couldn't figure out a way to free him without resorting to amputation. The guy in Utah that cut his arm off had literally no choice, since he was totally on his own. It seems to me like they could have done some micro-shaving or something to free his leg. Of course they'd have to figure out a way to put up a blast shield between him and the explosion. But even if he sustained some injuries from such measures, it'd be better than losing a leg . Maybe by the time the rescuers got to him his leg was already beyond saving? Anyway, this was a very tragic incident, but I suppose coming out minus a leg is better than not coming out at all (alive).

Trogman

[johnf93]

It is surprising that they couldn't figure out a way to free him without resorting to amputation. The guy in Utah that cut his arm off had literally no choice, since he was totally on his own. It seems to me like they could have done some micro-shaving or something to free his leg. Of course they'd have to figure out a way to put up a blast shield between him and the explosion. But even if he sustained some injuries from such measures, it'd be better than losing a leg . Maybe by the time the rescuers got to him his leg was already beyond saving? Anyway, this was a very tragic incident, but I suppose coming out minus a leg is better than not coming out at all (alive).

Trogman

If the limb was pinned in such a way that blood flow was partially or completely occluded, the tissue in the limb becomes necrotic in a very short time. If rescuers were to release the pinned limb, and blood flow was restored, it would carry bacteria and the necrotic cells through out the body causing septic shock -> cardiogenic failure (among others). This type of septic shock is often immediate and irreversible, even if the patient is in a level 1 trauma center. It was probably safer for the patient to have is limb amputated on scene rather than applying a tourniquet, releasing the limb and amputating it in an OR; especially if there was a long transportation time. Of course without knowing all the details, everything I have written is based only on assumptions.

Cheers,

John