Internal bleeding into a fractured extremity is MOST often controlled by:

• A. splinting the extremity.
• B. applying a tourniquet.
• C. keeping the patient warm.
• D. applying chemical ice pack.

Answer: (A)

Immobilizing the limb with a splint reduces movement of the fractured bone ends, which limits ongoing bleeding and further tissue damage. When a fracture bleeds inside the soft tissues, keeping the limb still prevents the bone ends from grinding or tearing vessels as the patient moves, so the internal hemorrhage is best controlled by splinting.

A tourniquet is intended for severe external bleeding that cannot be controlled with direct pressure; applying it to an internal bleed inside a fractured limb can cause tissue damage from lost blood supply and won’t address the bleeding within the tissues. Keeping the patient warm helps with shock but doesn’t stop the bleeding, and a chemical ice pack doesn’t control internal bleeding either.