Automated pneumatic tourniquet for hemorrhage control evaluated using an adaptive testing platform

Hemorrhage remains a leading cause of preventable death in trauma situations with hemorrhage control being a critical first step to stabilizing injuries. Tourniquets are commonly used for this purpose, but they can adjust during transport leading to re-hemorrhage or tissue damage during prolonged use. Here, we explored control system approaches to automate tourniquet initial inflation and prolonged management. Different designs were compared and an approach was identified capable of hemorrhage control in under 40 s. Furthermore, automated control of the tourniquet successfully managed tourniquet loosening and overtightening situations that typical tourniquets could not manage. In summary, automated tourniquets have the potential to aid with hemorrhage control in early echelons of care while lessening the cognitive burden on limited medical personnel.