The swelling in the arm was due to a compartment syndrome, an increased pressure in the tissue compartments of the arms or legs due to poor blood supply to the muscles.
In acute compartment syndrome, rapid surgery is required to avoid injury.
The patient was operated on the day after the doctors began to suspect the syndrome, and in the next few days several operations were performed.
However, the syndrome caused the patient to have a septic, inflammatory effect and only after the amputation did the condition improve.