›

In TWD. Amputation -- does it work? or not?

AnonymerAnonymer
edited May 2014 in The Walking Dead
In the TV series it worked on Hershel. But in Telltale game it's not clear, it didn't work on Lee, but it worked on Reggie.idk if it worked on Sarita.

Comments

  • MorninglightmountainMorninglightmountain
    Amputation is shown to work when done immediately. When done with Lee it's far too late.
  • EMMYPESSEMMYPESS
    Lee waited far too long to do anything about his arm. He probably didn't think sawing it off was a valid idea until a while after the bite, so the infection was already spreading. Reggie's arm was taken off immediately, and therefore he was able to live.
  • BigBlindMaxBigBlindMax Banned
    This belongs in The Walking Dead forum.

    To answer your question, it can work, but it's a risky proposition. Blood loss, shock and infection from unsterile equipment can kill just as surely as a bite.
  • Blind SniperBlind Sniper Moderator
    There you go - moved to the Walking Dead forums.
  • BulmaBulma
    It works. When it's done on time. I read the comic and there's one did and survived. :)
  • Welcome_to_WoodburyWelcome_to_Woodbury Banned
    In the TV show, Rick cut Herhsel's leg off super super fast, whereas Lee waited too long and the infection spread.
    It'll probably be the same case with Sarita as it was with Hershel - it might save her from the bite, but she'll most likely die from blood loss or other infection at the end of the day because Carlos is dead and we no longer have a doctor.
  • AlOsman47AlOsman47
    I think I should have cut off saritas hand but I wasn't sure how Kenny would feel about that & he's the only one I give a fuck about in the group. I mean surely they would want to have a discussion on what to do before amputating her hand I didn't feel that was my decision to make
  • Cluke_is_DumbCluke_is_Dumb
    It worked for Reggie....
  • gr8sk8jakegr8sk8jake
    With Lee it didn't work because the infection had already reached his brain (he passed out before they ever even amputated) but with Sarita it might work, the only problem though is Clem cut her arm off with a hatchet covered in walker blood. In the TV show they had a clean hatchet they never used for fighting and saved for amputations. I think it will have an effect on what Kenny thinks of you but I think Sarita will die regardless.
  • MorninglightmountainMorninglightmountain
    edited May 2014
    [spoiler] Hershel does die from blood loss. The blood loss from his neck when The Governor decapitated him. [/spoiler]
    Welcome_to_Woodbury posted: » [view original content]
  • MorninglightmountainMorninglightmountain
    Dale. Chances are if his actor hadn't left it would have also occurred in the TV show.
    Bulma posted: »

    It works. When it's done on time. I read the comic and there's one did and survived. :)

  • Welcome_to_WoodburyWelcome_to_Woodbury Banned
    Oops, you're mistaken. I guess I should have worded that better. I didn't mean Sarita's case was similar to Hershel's in that they both died from blood loss; I meant that he survived the bite from when Rick cut off his leg, just like Sarita will, but Sarita will die from blood loss after.
    The only reason Hershel didn't die is because they had supplies to stop the bleeding. In Sarita's case they don't.
    Morninglightmountain posted: » [view original content]
  • HatleyHatley
    It works if it's done quickly and cleanly.
  • MorninglightmountainMorninglightmountain
    Cauterizing it would be easy enough providing what they are using is clean. I was well aware of what you meant but saw the amusing possibilities in the misinterpretation.
    Welcome_to_Woodbury posted: » [view original content]
  • Epix49Epix49
    You know you should have put a spoiler on that comment for the show. Thanks asshole.
    Morninglightmountain posted: » [view original content]
  • HERO_1000HERO_1000
    edited May 2014
    It requires both to be cut quickly after the bite AND to be properly treated afterwards.

    You do either of those things poorly, and the guy's dead. I think there was a guy in the comics who's arm was cut not more than 10 seconds after the bite, and he still died. Probably poor post-bite medical care. So doing the cutting fast alone isn't good enough.
  • quietthinkerquietthinker
    edited May 2014
    Amputation can definitely work if done quickly and cleanly. It has never been established how long after the bite you have to do an amputation, but sooner is obviously better than later. The other issue to me, as a vet student (who obviously studies medicine), is how far 'up' the bite you should remove. If the virus is anything like rabies, it travels away from the bite towards the brain. So you the longer you wait, the farther up the bite you have to remove. So if you got bit on your index finger and you could amputate within a few seconds, I would just chop off the finger. If you had to wait a minute or two, I would probably take off the whole hand. If we were talking more than a few minutes later, and if the victim was willing to try, I would cut off the whole arm. So to sum up on this point, remove as much of the infected area as fast as possible.

    The other issue is blood loss. As seen in the comics and game, you can die from the amputation itself instead of the bite. If done with good materials and a competent doctor, the amputation carries lower (but still considerable) risk. The doctor can tie off or cauterize arteries to minimize blood loss. But if you're dealing with inexperienced people or minimal equipment, it is highly likely a victim would die of blood loss.

    Lastly, the materials you use to remove the infected area and clean up afterwards must be clean. Any unsanitary material can lead to a regular infection that can kill a patient (we're not talking about zombie infection here, just regular infections you see in today's world). Recent issues of the comics have confirmed that injuring a person with a weapon coated in walker 'gunk' will infect the victim and turn them into a walker. Thus, performing an amputation with a weapon used on walkers carries an extremely high risk of killing the victim.

    So in summation, amputation can save a patient's life if done by a competent individual, done quickly, and it removes all parts of the body that have the walker's infection. Compromising any of these areas increases the risk to the victim.
  • MorninglightmountainMorninglightmountain
    It has been established within seconds or it doesn't work.
    quietthinker posted: »

    Amputation can definitely work if done quickly and cleanly. It has never been established how long after the bite you have to do an amputat

  • kenlilleementinebenykenlilleementinebeny
    Where was it before?
    Blind Sniper posted: »

    There you go - moved to the Walking Dead forums.

  • Blind SniperBlind Sniper Moderator
    They accidentally posted it on the Wolf Among Us board.
    kenlilleementinebeny posted: »

    Where was it before?

Sign in to comment in this discussion.