Evaluation of Possible Tourniquet Systems For the Far Forward Setting

摘要

Exsanguination was responsible for almost 50% of combat deaths in Viet Nam. Although approximately 80% of these individuals died from major vascular chest and abdominal wounds, around 20% exsanguinated from peripheral vascular injuries. These deaths were potentially easily preventable with timely application of a working tourniquet. In other words, a well-designed tourniquet could possibly have prevented 10% of combat deaths. The initial objective of this project was to discover a working tourniquet system with the ability to stop arterial blood flow to the distal extremity. No systems were discovered which could be applied by the casualty himself/herself, using only one hand, and reliably occlude blood flow. The secondary objective became the development of a tourniquet system which fulfilled these criteria. The goal was to discover existing tourniquet systems and then have the ultimate users, 18 Delta corpsmen and medics, determine which device(s) was (were) most appropriate for their environment.