A 40-year-old female presents with hemorrhage from her dialysis graft. She states that she just got back from dialysis when the bleeding started. There is a significant amount of blood on the chair and floor. To control the bleeding, you would immediately:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Applying direct pressure over the graft is the most appropriate immediate action for controlling hemorrhage from a dialysis graft. Placing a tourniquet, either proximal or distal to the graft, could compromise blood flow to the extremity and potentially lead to ischemia or tissue necrosis. Applying ice and elevating the extremity may help control bleeding in some cases, but direct pressure should be the first step.

A 40-Year-Old Female Presents with Hemorrhage from Her Dialysis Graft