Should You Remove a Knife
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NO MATTER WHAT, DO NOT REMOVE A KNIFE WHICH IS EMBEDDED IN A PERSON. There are many reasons not to remove an embedded knife, such as:
- The knife will cut not only on the way into the body but on the way out of the body as well. This will cause much more bleeding to occur, especially if the removal of the knife severs a different blood vessel.
- When the knife is in the body, it acts as a plug, which means less blood will be lost from the body. This is obviously beneficial to the patient as they will have a higher chance of survival with every millilitre of blood kept in the body.
- When left in the body, it also means that no one else can be harmed by the knife.
When the knife is embedded in the body, you want to immobilise the knife. If it moves, again, it can cause more damage and make the bleeding worse. Therefore, you want to carefully pack the either side of the knife, which also helps to stop the blood flow. Keep this up until the Emergency Medical Services arrive.