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- Title
Tourniquet self-application assessment in cold weather conditions.
- Authors
Yánez Benítez, Carlos; Lorente-Aznar, Teófilo; Labaka, Idurre; Ribeiro Jr, Marcelo A. F.; Viteri, Yosu; Morishita, Koji; Baselga, Marta; Güemes, Antonio
- Abstract
Background: Our study aimed to assess the ability of nonmedical civilians to self-apply extremity tourniquets in cold weather conditions while wearing insulating technical clothing after receiving basic training. Methods: A field study was conducted among 37 voluntary participants of an expedition party to the Spanish Antarctic base. The researchers assessed the participant's ability to self-apply five commercial extremity tourniquets (CAT, OMNA, RMT, SWAT-T, and RATS) over cold-weather clothing and their achieved effectiveness for vascular occlusion. Upper extremity self-application was performed with a single-handed technique (OHT), and lower extremity applying a two-handed technique (THT). Perceptions of self-application ease mean values ± standard deviation (SD) were compared by applying a 5% statistical significance threshold. Frequency count determined tourniquet preference. Results: All the tested ETs, except the SWAT-T, were properly self-applied with an OHT, resulting in effective vascular occlusion in the upper extremity. The five devices tested were self-applied correctly in the lower extremities using THT. The ratcheting marine-designed OMNA ranked the highest for application easiness on both the upper and lower extremities, and the windlass CAT model was the preferred device by most participants. Conclusions: Civilian extremity tourniquet self-application on both upper and lower extremities can be accomplished in cold weather conditions despite using cold-weather gloves and technical clothing after receiving brief training. The ratcheting marine-designed OMNA ranked the highest for application ease, and the windlass CAT model was the preferred device.
- Subjects
TOURNIQUETS; COLD weather conditions; FORELIMB
- Publication
BMC Emergency Medicine, 2023, Vol 23, Issue 1, p1
- ISSN
1471-227X
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1186/s12873-023-00871-1