Question

A client who had an above-the-knee amputation (aka) has a pressure dressing on the end of the residual limb. the client asks, "why do i have to have this tight dressing on my leg?" which answer by the nurse is correct?

Answer 1

The nurse should say that the compressive dressing over the residual limb or the stump this prevents the swelling of the stump. Compression of the limb is an effective way to reduce edema (or the accumulation of fluid in the interstitium) since this promotes lymphatic drainage of the fluid from the interstitium.