Fractured Upper Limbs In An Accident. Can Tear In Major Artery And Small Nerves Lead To Death?

Posted on Tue, 23 Apr 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 Answered on

Sat, 11 May 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : Hello Sir,

I am XXXXXXX here, 3 months back my brother met with an accident with a 10 wheeler XXXXXXX . The accident had fractured both of his upper limbs and he was taken to BGS global hospital for treatment, there after the surgery they informed he died because of a cardiac arrest. Reason given was there was a artery tear in the limb and there was a fracture to the pelvic bone. The doctor informed that they have operated the big nerves to join them but there are many small nerves which have got teared. Is this lead to a death? He was taken to hospital at 12:15 PM but the doctor delayed to operate and took him to the operation theatre around 6 PM , Is this delay caused the death? Before the operation itself he had faced cardiac arrest twice. After the cardiac arrest they took him for CT scan and then decided to operate.

Answered by Dr. Saurabh Gupta (6 hours later)

Hello and Welcome to XXXXXXX
Thanks for writing to us.

I am sorry to hear about your brother.
Due to tear in major artery, there might be possibility of massive blood loss leads to hypovolumic shock which finally leads to cardiac arrest.
In pelvic bone fracture there is also massive blood loss which can lead to cardiac arrest and death.

Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if you have any more concern.

Regards.
Dr Saurabh Gupta.
Orthopaedic Surgeon.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Saurabh Gupta (13 hours later)

Thank you XXXXXXX for your reply.

I just wanted to know , if it was taken care early , I mean operated within an hour of accident was there a chance of hope?

Thanks, XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Saurabh Gupta (39 minutes later)

Hello XXXXXXX
Thanks for writing back.

Before operation patient should be stable for this. Without knowing the exact situation it is difficult say about it. There are many things to be considered before taking paint in Operation theater. So don't think that delaying in the operation was the cause of death. It had happen due to severity of the condition.

Once again sorry for your brother.

I pray to God to give you inner strength to overcome this difficult moment.

Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Saurabh Gupta (3 minutes later)

Thanks XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Saurabh Gupta (7 minutes later)

Hope this discussion was useful. Please close this discussion, if you do not have any other queries. I would appreciate your reviews about this service.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar