Evaluation of possible battlefield tourniquet systems for the far-forward setting

A significant number of casualties in previous conflicts died from peripheral vascular wounds. A well-designed tourniquet could possibly have prevented these deaths. The objective of this study was the identification of such a tourniquet. A survey of Special Operations corpsmen established important characteristics necessary in an ideal tourniquet. Because most available devices do not and patented ideas could not meet these criteria, a number of prototypes were developed. Seven potentially satisfactory tourniquets were evaluated by 15 Navy SEAL corpsmen. The success and timing of placement were recorded, and a follow-up questionnaire was completed. Of the several successful tourniquets, two were preferred. Tourniquets incorporating a windlass technique take longer to place and often fail when placed with only one hand. New, relatively simple tourniquet devices incorporating bladder and ratchet mechanisms can significantly improve tourniquet performance.