RCUK and the NHS agree that:
- The casualty’s life-threatening bleeding takes priority
- Emergency medical help should be summoned immediately
- The amputated body part should be retrieved, cooled (but not frozen), protected from direct contact with ice, and transported with the casualty
The main differences are:
RCUK 2025 provides more detailed guidance on both catastrophic bleeding (including tourniquet use) and preservation of the amputated part.
RCUK uniquely recommends labelling the container with the patient’s identity and relevant times (e.g. time of injury and when cooling began), reflecting the latest ILCOR Good Practice Statements (See FAQ’s and Resources section below).
NHS adds the practical instruction not to wash the amputated part, which is not explicitly stated in the RCUK guidance but is consistent with accepted trauma practice.
