Clothing Effects on Limb Tourniquet Application.

Area of Science:

• Trauma care
• Medical device engineering
• Emergency medicine

Background:

• Tourniquets are critical for severe limb hemorrhage control.
• Application over clothing is sometimes necessary in prehospital settings.
• The impact of clothing on tourniquet effectiveness is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of clothing on tourniquet application pressures.
• To assess how clothing influences the ease of tourniquet application.
• To compare different tourniquet types under various clothing conditions.

Main Methods:

• Four tourniquet models were tested: Combat Application Tourniquet (C-A-T7), SOF® Tactical Tourniquet-Wide (SOFTTW), Tactical Ratcheting Medical Tourniquet (Tac RMT), and Stretch Wrap And Tuck Tourniquet (SWATT).
• Tests were conducted on models (ballistic gel, yoga mats) and human thighs with clothing (scrubs, uniform, tights) and bare skin.
• Pressures were measured under controlled force applications and during manual application by trained personnel.

Main Results:

• Clothing altered pressure application on models, generally increasing secured pressures.
• On human thighs, clothing did not significantly affect secured, occlusion, or completion pressures.
• Tourniquet application over clothing was reported as more difficult by users, impacting ease of securing and completion.

Conclusions:

• While clothing may not always alter tourniquet pressures, it can affect surface interactions.
• Concerns remain regarding the potential for increased dislodging of tourniquets applied over clothing.
• Ease of application and securement is negatively impacted by clothing layers.