Why Doctors May Not Always Try to Save a Fingertip

This is the VOA Special English Health Report.

这里是美国之音慢速英语健康报道。

We started talking last week about how to decide if a common injury -- a bleeding cut on a finger -- requires medical attention. If the bleeding stops when you press on it for a few minutes, then you probably do not need a doctor. But if the injury is more serious, then you could suffer permanent damage unless you get help.

上周我们讨论了如何判断手指流血这种常见伤是否需要就医。如果按压几分钟后即可止血，可能就不需要就医。但如果伤口更加严重，如果不就医可能就会造成永久性损伤。

Dr. Martin Brown is chairman of emergency medicine at Inova Alexandria Hospital in Virginia. He says injuries that damage a "deep structure" like a bone, tendon or nerve should always be treated by a doctor.

马丁·布朗医生是弗吉尼亚州Inova Alexandria医院急诊科主任。他说，伤及骨头、肌腱、神经一类深层组织的伤口通常必须就医处理。

MARTIN BROWN: "When deep structures are involved, it's a different ballgame."

布朗：“如果伤及到深层组织，就是另一回事了。”

Forceful bleeding and bright red blood are dangerous signs of a deep cut. Dr. Brown says there are different medical products that can help stop the bleeding. One example is Gelfoam.

较深伤口的危险征兆是出血强劲或颜色鲜红。布朗医生称，有多种不同的医疗产品可以帮助止血，例如明胶海绵。

MARTIN BROWN: "Gelfoam is a cellulose product that promotes the clotting 2 of blood by giving blood sort of a matrix upon which to clot 1."

布朗：“明胶海绵是一种通过在伤口处提供基质胶，从而促进血液凝结的纤维产品。”

The traditional way to close a serious cut is with sutures, also known as stitches. A needle and nylon thread are used to sew the edges of the wound together.

闭合比较严重的伤口的传统方式是缝针，使用医用针线将伤口边缘缝合。

But Dr. Brown says a more recent development is a medical glue.

但布朗医生称，最新的发展是使用医用胶。

MARTIN BROWN: "That's a glue that's very similar if not identical to super glue, but it's a sterile 3 form of that."

布朗：“这种胶和强力胶完全不同，它是一种无菌的医用胶。”

Super glue makes many things stick together. But Dr. Brown says people should not use it on injuries. He says the medical glue can be used when a cut is straight and comes together easily.

强力胶可以将很多东西粘合到一起。但布朗医生表示，这种胶不能用于伤口。而医用胶可以用于平直、容易闭合的伤口。

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has advice on its website about what to do if a fingertip is not just cut but cut off.

美国骨科医师学会在其网站上就指头被切断如何处理提出了建议。

First, gently clean the amputated part with water or saline. Dr. Brown says people can use a saline cleaner for contact lenses. Saline contains salt.

首先，使用清洁水或生理盐水小心清洗断指。布朗医生称，人们也可以使用生理盐水清洗隐形眼镜。生理盐水含有盐分。

Next, without drying the fingertip, cover the part in gauze or a cloth. Place it in a waterproof 4 bag and place the bag on ice. Do not put the amputated part itself directly on ice. That could damage it more.

然后，保持断指湿润并使用纱布覆盖，装入防水袋，再把防水袋放到冰块里。不要直接把断指放到冰块中，那样会使断指损伤更严重。

Bring the fingertip to a hospital as quickly as possible.

带着断指尽快就医。

A surgeon may try to reattach a fingertip that is cut off below the first joint 5. But Dr. Brown says fingertips are not often reattached if they are the length of a fingernail or shorter.

外科医生可能会在首个关节以下重接指头。但布朗医生称，如果断掉的指头只有指甲那么长或更短，可能无法重接。

He says a reattachment operation can take many hours.

他表示一次重接手续可能耗时数小时。

MARTIN BROWN: "It's not a simple procedure by any means. It's done under a microscope, reattaching nerves and arteries 6 and tendons."

布朗：“无论如何，这不是一种简单的手术。手术需要重接神经、血管和肌腱，全部在显微镜下完成。”

Even then, he says, the result will not necessarily be better than losing part of a finger. Dr. Brown says patients must also be willing to undergo a rehabilitation 7 process to regain 8 use of the finger.

布朗医生说，即使这样，手术结果也未必比失去断指部分更好。他说，病人还必须经历恢复手指功能的康复过程。

MARTIN BROWN: "Reattachment is a real commitment by the patient and the doctor. Amputation 9 is a simple thing."

布朗：“断指再植是医生和病人的共同战斗，截肢则简单得多。”

And that’s the VOA Special English Health Report, written by Brianna Blake. To learn more about how to treat injuries, go to voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Shirley Griffith.