Sepsis and Amputation: A Complete Guide
Sepsis is a life-threatening illness that happens when the body is overwhelmed from an infection, leading to widespread inflammation, tissue damage, and organ failure. If not treated promptly, it can result in severe complications, including the need for amputation.
In this blog by Finding Your Feet - a charity that partnered with the Scottish Government for a life-saving awareness campaign on the infection. we look at how a person may be facing amputation through sepsis.
How can sepsis lead to amputation?
1. Infection Progression
Sepsis often begins with a localized infection (e.g., in the skin, lungs, or urinary tract). If bacteria or toxins from the infection enter the bloodstream, they can spread throughout the body, causing systemic inflammation.
2. Poor Blood Flow (Ischemia)
Sepsis can lead to septic shock where blood pressure drops dangerously low. As the body battles to save the vital organs (like the brain and heart), it diverts blood to them whilst extremities like hands, feet, fingers, and toes may not receive enough oxygen and nutrients.
This lack of blood flow (ischemia) can cause tissue damage, leading to gangrene (tissue necrosis).
3. Tissue Death (Necrosis)
Prolonged ischemia damages tissues in the extremities. Without oxygen, cells die, leading to areas of blackened, dead tissue (gangrene), which cannot heal on its own.
4. Risk of Spreading Infection
Dead tissue can serve as a breeding ground for bacteria, increasing the risk of further infection. To prevent the spread of infection to healthy tissue or organs, amputation of the affected area may become necessary.
5. Delayed Diagnosis or Treatment
Early treatment of sepsis is critical. Delays in recognizing and treating the condition with antibiotics, fluids, or surgery can increase the risk of complications, including irreversible damage to extremities. Always ask the question - Could this be Sepsis?
Amputation Process
If sepsis results in gangrene or significant tissue death, amputation is often a life-saving measure. Removing the affected limb or extremity can:
• Prevent the spread of infection.
• Stop the release of harmful toxins from dead tissue.
• Stabilize the patient’s condition.
Prevention and Management
• Early Detection: Recognizing sepsis symptoms early (fever, rapid heart rate, confusion, shortness of breath) is vital.
• Prompt Treatment: Antibiotics, fluids, and oxygen therapy are essential to prevent progression to septic shock.
• Infection Control: Managing wounds or treating infections promptly reduces the risk of sepsis.
• Monitoring Circulation: In cases of severe sepsis or septic shock, close monitoring of blood flow to extremities is critical.
Sepsis leading to amputation is a severe outcome, often associated with delays in treatment or in patients with underlying health conditions such as diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, or immune system compromise.
This blog was written by Cor Hutton, Founder of Finding Your Feet Charity and sepsis survivor. Cor was given just a 5% chance of survival from the infection and was forced to have both hands and legs amputated to save her life.
Cor Hutton in 2013