Severe or Uncontrolled Bleeding

Heavy, severe, or uncontrolled bleeding can quickly become a life-threatening emergency. Whether caused by an injury, accident, or medical condition, prompt treatment is critical to help prevent significant blood loss, shock, and other serious complications.

If bleeding is severe, cannot be controlled with direct pressure, or does not stop, call 911 immediately or go to the Emergency Room.

You should seek emergency care or call 911 immediately if you observe the following:

• Persistent Flow: Bleeding that will not stop or slow down even after 10–15 minutes of continuous, firm, direct pressure.
• Arterial Bleeding: Blood that is "spurting" or pumping rapidly from a wound.
• Internal Indicators: Coughing up or vomiting blood, which may indicate internal trauma.
• Deep or Complex Wounds: Large, gaping wounds, or those where muscle, fat, or bone is visible.
• Signs of Shock: If the bleeding is accompanied by confusion, dizziness, loss of consciousness, or pale, clammy skin.

Our Emergency Room care team uses a combination of physical examination and rapid technology to determine the source and severity of the bleeding:

• Physical Evaluation: Physicians and nurses immediately assess the wound to determine if it is arterial (spurting) or venous (steady flow) and check for signs of shock, such as low blood pressure or rapid heart rate.
• Point-of-Care Lab Testing: We utilize bedside lab testing to get results in minutes. This helps us check hemoglobin levels and determine if the patient's blood is clotting correctly.
• Advanced Imaging: If internal bleeding is suspected (often following head trauma or abdominal injury), we use detailed monitoring and imaging tools like CT scans or ultrasounds to locate the source of the hemorrhage.
• Bedside Registration: To ensure treatment is not delayed, we use a bedside registration process, allowing our Board-Certified General Surgeons and emergency staff to focus entirely on your clinical needs from the moment you arrive.

Our 13-bed emergency unit is equipped to manage traumatic injuries and critical hemorrhaging 24/7. Patients are treated according to the severity of their injury, with uncontrolled bleeding receiving the highest priority.

Upon arrival, the ER care team – which includes Board-Certified Emergency Physicians and experienced nurses – will utilize several methods to control blood loss:

• Direct and Advanced Pressure: Using sterile gauze and specialized pressure dressings to stop the flow.
• Tourniquets or Clotting Agents: For life-threatening limb injuries or wounds that do not respond to pressure, our team may use medical-grade tourniquets or hemostatic (clotting) agents.
• Wound Closure: For deep or jagged cuts, physicians may use advanced suturing, staples, or medical adhesives to close the wound and prevent further bleeding that will not stop.

If a patient has lost a significant amount of blood, the team focuses on preventing shock by utilizing:

• IV Fluids and Transfusions: Intravenous fluids are administered immediately to maintain blood pressure. In severe cases, blood transfusions may be necessary.
• Computerized Medication Access: We utilize a computerized system that keeps critical medications and supplies, such as those used to help blood clot, readily available for immediate use.
• Detailed Monitoring: We provide detailed monitoring of heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels to catch any critical changes in a patient’s condition instantly.

For internal bleeding (such as coughing or vomiting blood) or complex external trauma, our Board-Certified General Surgeons or Orthopaedic Surgeons are available to perform emergency surgery to repair damaged vessels or organs.