Surgery

[MissyA369]

I didn't know where else to put this q in but it has to do with the body.

When someone is having surgey or is cut open in the emergency room or anything similar, how do they prevent blood loss as the patient doesnt have blood pouring out of them. Does the blood keep pumping round the body?

Also how can they keep getting oxygen going around the body esp. to the brain. Thanks

[eggcup5]

Thats what all the tubes are for.

[andy hughes]

Major arteries are clamped to prevent massive blood loss, small veins and capilliaries can be ignored as theywill self-seal in a few minutes. Any blood from those is sucked away by a nurse with a small suction tube, bit like a tiny vacum cleaner. If you watch any hospital drama, when they say "Suction..." it means the surgeon is stopping amoving out of the way so the nurse can 'hoover up' the colected blood before it coagulates and makes a mess.

[keen2learn]

They also use electronic scalpels that cauterise the vessels as they cut through them to minimise blood loss. If operating on a limb they use a tourniquet to restrict blood flow.

[SteveD]

Diathermy is used to cauterise small blood vessels:

http://www.surgical-tutor.org.uk/default-home.htm?core/preop1/diathermy.htm~right