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in collaboration with
Dr Gérald Kierzek (Medical Director of Doctissimo)
Seven months after suffering an amputation of all four of his limbs following septic shock, a British MP made his comeback to Parliament. How to explain what happened to him? The answers of Dr Gérald Kierzek, emergency doctor.
On his return to Parliament on Wednesday May 22, seven months after having had all four limbs amputated, British MP Craig Mackinlay received a standing ovation from his colleagues. A way of saluting the courage of the man, who was returning to his duties.
Victim of septic shock last September
British MP Craig Mackinlay was hospitalized last September for sepsis. He told the BBC that he went to bed early that night, thinking he might have a cold. Later that night, his condition worsened and his wife called for help.
Half an hour after arriving at the hospital, his body had turned blue, according to him. A side effect of the septic shock he suffered.
Sepsis, a serious complication that can lead to amputation
Caused by bacteria, sepsis is a generalized infection of the body, which can lead to failure of internal organs, such as the lungs, kidneys or heart, for example. “Sepsis creates edema and generalized vasodilation. To maintain blood pressure, vasoconstrictor drugs are needed – mainly noradrenaline – which concentrate the blood on the vital organs. explains Dr Gérald Kierzek, emergency doctor and medical director of Doctissimo. “Unfortunately, by constricting the peripheral vessels, it can create a ischemiaor even necrosis of the limbs..
Black and rigid limbs
This is the reason why Craig Mackinlay was amputated. He even came close to death, with doctors estimating his chances of survival at only 5%. He says he has almost no memory of his stay in hospital, which lasted 16 days, due to the drugs that had to be administered to him to keep him in an artificial coma. However, he remembers discussions around its members being described as being black and rigid.
It will finally be amputated on December 1, 2023.”They managed to save (my limbs) up to my elbows and above my knees.” he explained. “So you could say I’m lucky.”. The Conservative MP then received prosthetic legs and hands. And he describes himself, not without humor, as now being a “bionic man”.
Sepsis: the signs to know to react in time
Beyond the story which turns into a nightmare, the adventure of this young woman reminds us here of the need to react quickly in the event of an injury, even innocuous ones, when certain signs appear.
“The challenge is to have a diagnosis quickly, so as not to delay treatment” admits Dr. Kiezek, emergency physician. “In sepsis, the first 3 hours are crucial to save the person; we then speak of “golden hours”.
“When you have an injury, an infection, whatever it is – what we call a gateway to medicine – and we begin to observe a local and general evolution, we must react quickly!” underlines our expert. What are the signs of a deteriorating general condition?
- A feeling of unease, with confusion, stomach aches, change in general condition, etc.;
- A temperature which increases (presence of fever), or which falls, below 36°;
- Tachycardia (a heart that beats fast and hard);
- Tachypnea (rapid breathing);
- A drop in blood pressure.