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Correct use of tourniquet devices has been shown to save lives under austere conditions with comparatively low risk of injury. In field trials, prompt application of emergency tourniquets before the patient goes into shock are associated with higher survival rates than any other scenario where tourniquets were used later or not at all. [2] [3]
Use of a tourniquet can stall the life-threatening consequences of a crush related injury and can be a second option if the person cannot immediately have the fluids that were lost be medically replaced back into the body. Tourniquet measures should be taken if the person has been entrapped for more than two hours. [14]
Another method of achieving constriction of the supplying artery is a tourniquet - a band tied tightly around a limb to restrict blood flow. Tourniquets are routinely used to bring veins to the surface for cannulation, though their use in emergency medicine is more limited. Many armies carry a tourniquet as part of their personal first aid kit.
A simple tourniquet can be made from a stick and a rope, but the use of makeshift tourniquets has been reduced over time due to their ineffectiveness compared to a commercial and professional tourniquet. This may stem the flow of blood, but side effects such as soft tissue damage and nerve damage may occur.
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TCCC actively endorses and recommends the early and immediate use of tourniquets to control massive external hemorrhaging of limbs. All other treatment should be delayed until the casualty can be moved to a more secure and covered position and transitioned to tactical field care. [3]
For example, limb protection padding and a snug tourniquet application prevents tissue damage, while sufficient but not excessive tourniquet pressure ensures that anesthetics remain within the limb without risking injury. Care should be taken to avoid the premature release or a lack of inflation in the cuff.
Internal bleeding (also called internal haemorrhage) is a loss of blood from a blood vessel that collects inside the body, and is not usually visible from the outside. [1] It can be a serious medical emergency but the extent of severity depends on bleeding rate and location of the bleeding (e.g. head, torso, extremities).