5 myths about Tourniquets.
- Thread starter Gimli
- Start date
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FYI:
www.telegraph.co.uk
3/4 of amputations due to misuse and leaving on for too long, partly due to being unable to remove person from the battle field. Also, kidney damage caused by overload due to toxin flood when TQ removed, leading to long term dialysis.
I'll stick to pressure pads/bandages/sticky tape.
‘Cult’ of tourniquets causing thousands of unnecessary amputations and deaths in Ukraine, say surgeons
The strong bands are used to stop catastrophic bleeding – but if left on for too long they can cause tissue death
www.telegraph.co.uk
3/4 of amputations due to misuse and leaving on for too long, partly due to being unable to remove person from the battle field. Also, kidney damage caused by overload due to toxin flood when TQ removed, leading to long term dialysis.
I'll stick to pressure pads/bandages/sticky tape.
FYI:
‘Cult’ of tourniquets causing thousands of unnecessary amputations and deaths in Ukraine, say surgeons
The strong bands are used to stop catastrophic bleeding – but if left on for too long they can cause tissue death
3/4 of amputations due to misuse and leaving on for too long, partly due to being unable to remove person from the battle field. Also, kidney damage caused by overload due to toxin flood when TQ removed, leading to long term dialysis.
I'll stick to pressure pads/bandages/sticky tape.
Compare that with mortality of people suffering catastrophic bleeds without tourniquet application. Try to treat that with a bandage and sticky tape and you will die in minutes at best.
That is also specifically referring to tourniquets left on for days at a time, so simply don’t do that. Unless you’re bushcrafting in Donetsk, this isn’t hugely relevant.
Good luck with that if you have an arterial cat bleed from a limb!FYI:
‘Cult’ of tourniquets causing thousands of unnecessary amputations and deaths in Ukraine, say surgeons
The strong bands are used to stop catastrophic bleeding – but if left on for too long they can cause tissue death
I'll stick to pressure pads/bandages/sticky tape.
The thing is tourniquets should only be used for injuries that can't be controlled with direct pressure.
They should be a last resort, not the first option.
When assessing the situation upon first arrival you go through the DRABC.
Except now they put in an extra C.
DRCABC.
For Catastrophic bleed.
The next question - what is a catastrophic bleed?
I was always told if you rock up to a patient and immediately say to yourself 'wow! that's a lot of blood' it's probably a cat bleed.
If you have to ask yourself 'Is this a cat bleed?' then it probably isn't.
There is an exception to this in terms of amputation as often they don't bleed much to start but do after a time.
Keeping this in perspective, as civvies we are unlikely to have blast injuries or gun shot wounds to deal with.
We might have sharps or chainsaw type injuries.
I would argue often (not always), these sorts of injuries would be able to be controlled with direct pressure using a large bandage/ field dressing.
They should be a last resort, not the first option.
When assessing the situation upon first arrival you go through the DRABC.
Except now they put in an extra C.
DRCABC.
For Catastrophic bleed.
The next question - what is a catastrophic bleed?
I was always told if you rock up to a patient and immediately say to yourself 'wow! that's a lot of blood' it's probably a cat bleed.
If you have to ask yourself 'Is this a cat bleed?' then it probably isn't.
There is an exception to this in terms of amputation as often they don't bleed much to start but do after a time.
Keeping this in perspective, as civvies we are unlikely to have blast injuries or gun shot wounds to deal with.
We might have sharps or chainsaw type injuries.
I would argue often (not always), these sorts of injuries would be able to be controlled with direct pressure using a large bandage/ field dressing.
Ok, so is the folllowing considered to be 'wrong' I punched DRCABC into google - got the following :-
Which kinda ties in nicely with my other question - are these just variations upon a theme or is there a over seeing regulatory body ? ( probably not ) or just derivations and interpretations? Which would then explain why many instructors or experienced old sweats seem to contradict and want to contradict others.
Genuine question and point - not looking to wind any one up.
## edit - I can easily see why Cat Bleed and Cervical trauma could be considered neck and neck ( pun intended ) so maybe it should be DRCCABC ???
Not what we've been taught.
Remember this is the primary survey. A quick once over to assess the patient.
The time and skill level it takes to assess and stablise a neck - and all this to be done before you check if they are breathing?!
Seems strange to me - but then again, i don't have the power of google behind me....
Remember this is the primary survey. A quick once over to assess the patient.
The time and skill level it takes to assess and stablise a neck - and all this to be done before you check if they are breathing?!
Seems strange to me - but then again, i don't have the power of google behind me....
@TeeDee that’s certainly not what I was taught. C is Cat Bleed.
Also, BEFORE doing a head tilt chin lift I’d advise you visually look in their mouth (looking for tongue and teeth only).
Anything in their mouth will be going into their airway if you go straight for the head tilt chin lift.
chin lift is to maintain an open airway.
Just my training obviously
Also, BEFORE doing a head tilt chin lift I’d advise you visually look in their mouth (looking for tongue and teeth only).
Anything in their mouth will be going into their airway if you go straight for the head tilt chin lift.
chin lift is to maintain an open airway.
Just my training obviously
The current St Johns civilian training is still DRABC though they specifically say "If there is catastrophic bleeding … this must be dealt with before moving on to the airway"
Ignoring the cringe worthy pun...
Cervical trauma often isn't life threatening unless it's very high up. Life changing yes but not life threatening.
Therefore i wouldn't put it on this list.
Thanks for commenting - interesting.
I'm off to master my power of google some more...
