# Why do people with sepsis get hand and foot amputation? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 27, 2013, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-sepsis-get-hand-and-foot-amputation/674903 "2013-11-27T08:47:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tci707](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7cd45c/32.png) [@tci707](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tci707)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-sepsis-get-hand-and-foot-amputation/674903/1 "2013-11-27T08:47:26Z")
I have seen reports of people with sepsis and also people with meningitis need to have hand and foot amputations becasue they get necrosis. But why would a infection lead to necrosis in the hands and feet? Also what are the amputation rates for sepsis and meningitis. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-sepsis-get-hand-and-foot-amputation/674903/2 "2013-11-27T09:18:21Z")
One of the symptoms of sepsis can be low blood pressure, low enough to be life-threatening. When that happens medication to raise it is given, which works by contracting small blood vessels which tends to reduce circulation to the extremities. In some cases, the dosages required to preserve life are so high that the blood vessels in the hands and feet are so contracted that insufficient blood reaches the hands and feet and those parts of the body die from lack of blood flow. This is what results in amputation. ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-sepsis-get-hand-and-foot-amputation/674903/3 "2013-11-27T10:03:25Z")
I don’t think so many cases are related to pharmaceuticals given as treatment. Is the tci707 talking about Meningococcal - Its first signs are in the hands and feet and I think it loves to live there , and in the brain. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-sepsis-get-hand-and-foot-amputation/674903/4 "2013-11-27T10:50:55Z")
Sepsis can also cause disseminated intravascular coagulation, which basically means your blood starts to spontaneously clot. This can also cut off circulation to extremities, as well as internal organs and the brain. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-sepsis-get-hand-and-foot-amputation/674903/5 "2013-11-27T14:52:53Z")
As I understand it - One of the more common amputations is leg amputatons due to type II diabetes. As I understand it, when circulation starts to be affected, the sites that suffer most are the extremities. Poor blood flow leads to clots, chunks of flesh die and rot (gangrene) and of course, this spreads since nearby tissue need the blood flow that is cut off by the dead areas. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-sepsis-get-hand-and-foot-amputation/674903/6 "2013-11-27T15:48:14Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Sepsis can also cause disseminated intravascular coagulation, which basically means your blood starts to spontaneously clot. This can also cut off circulation to extremities, as well as internal organs and the brain. We have a winner! DIC with its subsequent clots cutting off blood flow to peripheries like noses, fingers, hands, penises, feet, etc is the primary reason that septic patients need amputations. Other parts of the body can be clotted off too, which is why some septic patients need hunks of bowel cut out. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-sepsis-get-hand-and-foot-amputation/674903/7 "2013-11-27T15:51:23Z")
I’d hate to have my penises amputated. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-sepsis-get-hand-and-foot-amputation/674903/8 "2013-11-27T15:52:02Z")
> [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](#): > > I’d hate to have my penises amputated. And your noses. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-sepsis-get-hand-and-foot-amputation/674903/9 "2013-11-27T17:28:25Z")
In my case, the whole mess started with a wound on my foot that I ignored/didn’t notice (I’m a little fuzzy about my motivations at that time still) that turned septic and spread into the bone, then caused sepsis. By the time I was sick enough for someone to notice and insist I go to the ER, there was enough pedal real estate in necrosis that they couldn’t really save anything below mid-calf. I was told that my blood chemistry on arrival was so bad that if I’d resisted going to the ER for another couple of hours I’d have been dead. All I know is that I was delirious for almost a week, only half-aware of what was actually going on. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-sepsis-get-hand-and-foot-amputation/674903/10 "2013-11-27T17:41:52Z")
Look at it this way: there aren’t all that many non-extremity body parts that can be amputated without killing the patient. The bowel is mostly a closed system with some redundancy, so losing a length of intestine is not generally fatal. Contrast that with the heart; you can’t just cut out a chunk of that tissue. Well, you can, but only a small piece. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-sepsis-get-hand-and-foot-amputation/674903/11 "2013-11-27T20:53:44Z")
> [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](#): > > I’d hate to have my penises amputated. Most people can get by with just one. ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-sepsis-get-hand-and-foot-amputation/674903/12 "2013-11-27T21:59:33Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Most people can get by with just one. Hell, _most_ people get by with zero. One is the second-most-common configuration. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2013, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-sepsis-get-hand-and-foot-amputation/674903/13 "2013-11-28T00:46:44Z")
> [@leahcim](#): > > Hell, _most_ people get by with zero. One is the second-most-common configuration. Actually, the average number of male penises is slightly less than one. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2013, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-sepsis-get-hand-and-foot-amputation/674903/14 "2013-11-28T03:52:24Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Actually, the average number of male penises is slightly less than one. And, bringing it back around to this thread, the average number of legs per person is slightly less than two. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2013, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-sepsis-get-hand-and-foot-amputation/674903/15 "2013-11-28T04:03:51Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Actually, the average number of male penises is slightly less than one. Umm, what other kind of penises are there? ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2013, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-sepsis-get-hand-and-foot-amputation/674903/16 "2013-11-28T05:11:25Z")
Female spotted hyenas have what is called a pseudo-penis. So, a female penis. Basically, it’s an oversized clitoris, and the female mates and gives birth through it. She also has a pseudo scrotum. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2013, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-sepsis-get-hand-and-foot-amputation/674903/17 "2013-11-28T13:43:16Z")
> [@outlierrn](#): > > Umm, what other kind of penises are there? In the greater LGBTQ community, you will find more than a few folks asserting they have female penises. I’m staying out of that debate. I just want everyone to get along… ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2013, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-sepsis-get-hand-and-foot-amputation/674903/18 "2013-11-28T14:05:20Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > Female spotted hyenas have what is called a pseudo-penis. So, a female penis. Basically, it’s an oversized clitoris, and the female mates and gives birth through it. She also has a pseudo scrotum. And whatever crosses you may have to bear, aren’t you grateful you never had to give birth through your clitoris? ---
**Author:** ![KRC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@KRC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KRC)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2013, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-sepsis-get-hand-and-foot-amputation/674903/19 "2013-11-28T21:58:19Z")
Yeah, and I watched a nature show about hyenas. The next day I went to work and told my co-worker “Both male and female hyenas have penises!” The co worker said “Maybe that’s why they’re always laughing.” ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2013, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-sepsis-get-hand-and-foot-amputation/674903/20 "2013-11-29T03:45:36Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > And whatever crosses you may have to bear, aren’t you grateful you never had to give birth through your clitoris? Yes, truly, this is something that I am thankful for. I’m also glad that I don’t have to have sex THROUGH my clitoris. Shall we discuss ovipositors next? They always seemed rather phallic to me. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-with-sepsis-get-hand-and-foot-amputation/674903.md?page=2)