Tourniquet self-application assessment in cold weather conditions.

Autor: Yánez Benítez, Carlos, Lorente-Aznar, Teófilo, Labaka, Idurre, Ribeiro Jr, Marcelo A. F., Viteri, Yosu, Morishita, Koji, Baselga, Marta, Güemes, Antonio
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Zdroj: BMC Emergency Medicine; 8/31/2023, Vol. 23 Issue 1, p1-8, 8p
Abstrakt: 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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Databáze: Complementary Index
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