An injury to the femoral artery, a large blood vessel in the thigh, is a severe medical emergency. Damage to this artery, which carries a significant volume of blood, can lead to rapid and dangerous blood loss. Understanding the rapid consequences of its injury is crucial, as immediate intervention can determine survival. Prompt and effective first aid is essential due to the speed of blood loss.
Understanding the Femoral Artery
The femoral artery is a major blood vessel delivering oxygenated blood from the heart to the lower limb. It originates in the upper thigh, near the groin, as a continuation of the external iliac artery. The artery extends down the leg, supplying blood to the thigh muscles, hip, and knee, eventually becoming the popliteal artery behind the knee. Its superficial location in the groin area, within the femoral triangle, makes it vulnerable to injury from trauma.
The Critical Rate of Blood Loss
A wound to the femoral artery is dangerous due to the high pressure and large volume of blood it carries. Arterial bleeding from this vessel is characterized by bright red blood that may spurt rhythmically with each heartbeat, reflecting the force of the heart’s contractions. The average resting blood flow in a common femoral artery can be around 350 to 635 milliliters per minute. This rapid rate of blood loss can quickly lead to hypovolemic shock, a life-threatening condition where the body loses too much blood or fluid.
The human body typically contains about 5 liters of blood. Losing even 15-30% of this volume (750 to 1,500 milliliters) can initiate symptoms of hypovolemic shock, including increased heart rate and rapid breathing. If blood loss exceeds 30-40% (1,500 to 2,000 milliliters), blood pressure drops significantly, and mental status changes can occur. Without immediate intervention, severe blood loss from a femoral artery injury can lead to loss of consciousness and organ failure as the body prioritizes blood flow to the brain and heart, resulting in death within minutes.
Factors Affecting Survival Time
While bleeding from a femoral artery injury is rapid, several factors can influence survival time. The nature of the wound, such as whether it is a partial or complete transection of the artery, plays a role.
An individual’s overall health also influences their response to severe blood loss. Factors like pre-existing clotting disorders, certain medications, and age can affect the body’s ability to form clots and compensate for volume loss. Immediate first aid, such as applying direct pressure, can significantly impact survival time by reducing the rate of blood loss. Without external intervention, the rapid and continuous flow from a major artery makes the window for survival very narrow.
Immediate Life-Saving Interventions
In the event of a femoral artery injury, immediate action is essential for survival. The most effective intervention is to apply direct, firm pressure to the wound using a sterile dressing or clean cloth. This pressure should be continuous and directly over the bleeding site to compress the injured artery and slow blood flow. If bleeding is severe and direct pressure alone is not sufficient, wound packing can be employed for deep wounds, filling the cavity with material to absorb blood and maintain pressure.
Emergency medical services must be contacted immediately. For severe, uncontrolled bleeding on a limb that does not stop with direct pressure, a tourniquet can be a life-saving device. A tourniquet should be placed 2 to 3 inches above the wound, between the injury and the heart, and tightened until the bleeding stops. Note the time the tourniquet was applied, as this information is useful for medical professionals upon their arrival. These immediate measures can buy valuable time until professional medical help arrives.