The field of construction poses numerous concerns for the people who work in it. Unfortunately, danger exists everywhere in a job involving so much high-powered equipment.
This includes the potential risk of crush injuries. Just what are they and what are the associated complications?
Causes of crush injuries
Up To Date takes a look at crush injuries and how they impact victims. First of all, what are they? Crush injuries typically involve a person’s body – in part or in its entirety – ending up run over, flattened, compressed or smashed by a larger or heavier object.
Crush injuries may come in many different forms, but they are nearly all moderate to severe rather than mild due to the nature of the injury itself.
Different crush injuries could range from a person having their foot run over by a truck, to a person ending up trapped within the rubble of a collapsing building.
The biggest potential risks
Depending on the area of the body that suffers from a crush injury, the complications may differ as well. For example, crush injuries to the torso have a higher risk of resulting in organ failure. As organs struggle to continue functioning without blood or oxygen, they begin to shut down.
On the other hand, the biggest potential risk of a limb crush injury is that of infection and potential amputation. Tissue may necrotize without blood or oxygen, opening the body up to gangrene and other forms of infection and bacteria. Sepsis may even occur, which easily becomes fatal.
Whatever the injury, crush wounds must receive immediate medical care for the best potential outcome.