Chuckman
Senior Member
By now everyone has seen all the pics of the guy shot in the bicep (Kenosha). From a self-aid/buddy aid perspective, what can we ascertain about the injury and the treatment?
First, we know the wound was caused by a 5.56/.223 at close range. We also know that it was basically a grazing injury and not a "through-and-through". If it WAS a "through-and-through," (i.e., perforating) his entire humerus, bicep, tricep, and deltoid would have been shattered and shredded given the range, and an enormous exit wound. Also look at pics below, you can see the furrow running perpendicular to the axis of the arm (especially pic 2). Varmint rounds and higher (and even smaller-caliber rounds) will perforate at this range; of course, the smaller the bullet, the smaller the exit would (excluding things like hollow point, etc.).
Based on pre-TQ pictures, does he need a tourniquet? How do you treat it? Based on the pictures, he does NOT need a tourniquet. While there is indeed ample bleeding, he still has a humerus against which to apply direct pressure, and it is a perfect wound to pack. Also note that he can still grip his pistol. I won't say that with a more traumatic perforating injury with the humerus/bicep/tricep you can't do this, but it's a lot less likely.
But, he did choose to either self-apply the TQ (or have someone else do it). Did he do it correctly? As evidenced by the pics, he did not. If you look the TQ looks like it is simply laying on the bicep. A TQ that is appropriately/correctly applied will look like it's squeezing the bicep in half (see pic 4 & 5). For effective TQ use, the outcome is stop the bleeding, but you do that by encircling and compressing all the vessels by 'squeezing the container' to stop the flow.
Does this would take you out of the fight? It depends. It sure did with this fella! But it doesn't have to. If you put on the TQ you are effectively eliminating that arm from the fight, but that location is perfect for self-application (if you need it), transition to weak arm/off arm, and drive on! This is basic TCCC training.
How would Chuckman do this, if this was Chuckman? A handful of 4x4s and/or kerlix/kling into the wound, and an Israeli (or OLAES/kling) dressing around it and that's it. Transition to my weak hand where my evidence of lack of training of shooting weak-handed would be evident.
I hope this information has been helpful. If you have any insight, questions, comments, or shade to throw my way, let me know!
First, we know the wound was caused by a 5.56/.223 at close range. We also know that it was basically a grazing injury and not a "through-and-through". If it WAS a "through-and-through," (i.e., perforating) his entire humerus, bicep, tricep, and deltoid would have been shattered and shredded given the range, and an enormous exit wound. Also look at pics below, you can see the furrow running perpendicular to the axis of the arm (especially pic 2). Varmint rounds and higher (and even smaller-caliber rounds) will perforate at this range; of course, the smaller the bullet, the smaller the exit would (excluding things like hollow point, etc.).
Based on pre-TQ pictures, does he need a tourniquet? How do you treat it? Based on the pictures, he does NOT need a tourniquet. While there is indeed ample bleeding, he still has a humerus against which to apply direct pressure, and it is a perfect wound to pack. Also note that he can still grip his pistol. I won't say that with a more traumatic perforating injury with the humerus/bicep/tricep you can't do this, but it's a lot less likely.
But, he did choose to either self-apply the TQ (or have someone else do it). Did he do it correctly? As evidenced by the pics, he did not. If you look the TQ looks like it is simply laying on the bicep. A TQ that is appropriately/correctly applied will look like it's squeezing the bicep in half (see pic 4 & 5). For effective TQ use, the outcome is stop the bleeding, but you do that by encircling and compressing all the vessels by 'squeezing the container' to stop the flow.
Does this would take you out of the fight? It depends. It sure did with this fella! But it doesn't have to. If you put on the TQ you are effectively eliminating that arm from the fight, but that location is perfect for self-application (if you need it), transition to weak arm/off arm, and drive on! This is basic TCCC training.
How would Chuckman do this, if this was Chuckman? A handful of 4x4s and/or kerlix/kling into the wound, and an Israeli (or OLAES/kling) dressing around it and that's it. Transition to my weak hand where my evidence of lack of training of shooting weak-handed would be evident.
I hope this information has been helpful. If you have any insight, questions, comments, or shade to throw my way, let me know!