Commercial and Improvised Pelvic Compression Devices: Applied Force and Implications for Hemorrhage Control

Area of Science:

• Trauma Surgery
• Orthopedic Surgery
• Emergency Medicine

Background:

• Uncontrolled hemorrhage from unstable pelvic fractures causes significant prehospital mortality.
• External compression devices are crucial for hemorrhage control in pelvic ring injuries.
• Assessing applied force is key to understanding device efficacy in reducing diastasis and achieving hemostasis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantitatively assess the applied force of various pelvic compression devices using a sensor-circuit.
• To compare the efficacy of commercial devices with improvised methods for pelvic stabilization.
• To determine if operator, subject sex, or body fat percentage influence applied compressive forces.

Main Methods:

• A sensor-circuit was used to measure the compressive forces applied by pelvic compression devices.
• Devices assessed included the SAM Pelvic Sling II and improvised methods (SAM Splint with C-A-T or cravat, joined cravats, military belt).
• Testing was conducted on both male and female subjects.

Main Results:

• Applied compressive forces did not significantly differ based on the device operator.
• Subject sex and body fat percentage did not significantly impact the forces applied by the devices.
• The study found that the military belt is not a recommended improvised method for pelvic stabilization.

Conclusions:

• The applied force of pelvic compression devices is consistent across different operators, sexes, and body fat percentages.
• While commercial devices and some improvised methods can apply significant force, the military belt is ineffective.
• Further research may refine optimal device selection and application for pelvic fracture hemorrhage control.