MORE VIDEOS
Explore more

Amputated Finger, Toe or Limb — First Aid

In an emergency, call 911 first (or your local emergency number). If someone is unresponsive and not breathing normally, start CPR and send for an AED. Do not delay a call to read a guide.
Amputated Finger, Toe or Limb — First Aid first aid
Amputated Finger, Toe or Limb — First Aid — first aid scene (illustrative image)

What to do

  1. Call 911 immediately. Caring for the person comes first; ask a bystander to look after the amputated part if possible.
  2. Control bleeding from the stump with firm direct pressure using a sterile dressing or clean cloth. Raise the injured part if you can.
  3. If bleeding is life-threatening and pressure is not enough, a tourniquet above the injury (by a trained person) may be needed — note the time.
  4. Care for the amputated part: gently wrap it in clean gauze or cloth dampened with clean water or saline. Do not wash or scrub it.
  5. Seal the wrapped part in a clean plastic bag, then place that bag on a container of ice and water — the part should be kept cool, never frozen and never in direct contact with ice.
  6. Write the time of injury on the bag if you can, keep the person warm and still, and make sure the part travels to hospital with them.

What NOT to do

  • Do not place the amputated part directly on ice or in water — freezing or soaking destroys tissue that surgeons may be able to reattach.
  • Do not use antiseptics, alcohol or chemicals on the amputated part.
  • Do not delay calling 911 to search for the part — send someone else or go back once help is coming.
  • Do not give the injured person food or drink — emergency surgery is likely.

When to get medical care

Always call 911 for any amputation, including a fingertip. Reattachment is time-critical, so rapid transport matters. Even when reattachment is not possible, fast hospital care gives the best function and healing. Take every amputated part, however small or damaged it looks — let the surgical team decide.

Frequently asked questions

How long can an amputated part survive?

Cooling greatly extends the window: a properly wrapped and cooled finger can sometimes be reattached many hours later, while larger parts containing muscle have a shorter window. There is no benefit in guessing — get to hospital as fast as possible and take the part.

What if only part of a finger is cut off?

Treat it the same way: pressure on the stump, wrap the severed tip in damp clean gauze, seal it in a bag on ice and water, and go to hospital. Even small fingertip amputations benefit from specialist assessment.

In an emergency, call 911 (or your local emergency number) first — do not delay a call to read a guide. These pages are educational first-aid information in general terms; they are not a substitute for emergency services, first-aid training, or assessment by a qualified clinician.

More in Bleeding & Wounds

Bleeding Varicose Vein — First Aid first aidBleeding Varicose Vein — First AidBlisters — First Aid and Care first aidBlisters — First Aid and CareCuts, Grazes and Scrapes — First Aid first aidCuts, Grazes and Scrapes — First AidInternal Bleeding — Recognising the Signs first aidInternal Bleeding — Recognising the SignsNosebleed — First Aid first aidNosebleed — First AidObject Stuck in a Wound — First Aid first aidObject Stuck in a Wound — First Aid

← All Bleeding & Wounds · First Aid home