Improvised Traction Splint
March/April 2008 ISSN-1059-6518 Volume 21 Number 2
A fractured femur is a very painful injury due to spasms of the large muscles of the upper leg. It is also a potentially life-threatening injury because of the potential blood loss into the 
area surrounding the fracture—typical blood loss is 1000 – 1500cc—as well as a risk of pulmonary emboli caused by fat emboli that can be released from the bone marrow. Proper splinting with a traction splint minimizes these risks and dramatically reduces the pain by controlling the spasms of the leg muscles. All fractured femurs should be treated with a traction splint, and one can be easily improvised. Read more
