Tourniquet use has six-fold reduction in mortality

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Chuckman said:
I am a STB instructor; I believe we have a few on here. Good program.
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took a STB course last year and it was a good course. Especially if there were to ever have an incident while at the range.
 
"Overall, 9.6 percent of the study patients had amputations, and more than one-third of those patients had received a tourniquet. However, amputation patients who received a tourniquet had significantly lower mortality rates than those who did not — 2.9 percent vs. 7.9 percent."

I remember being trained to only do them in life or death situations due to the risk/damage to the effected limb. Which kind of never made sense to me. If it's bad enough to consider a TQ it's probably bad enough to just need one. Looks like you are trading a limb for a life though based on those numbers. I gotta think most folks would take that trade in a bad situation. But I also think folks need to understand that going in. There is a real chance the TQ both saves the life and helps ensure an amputation. At least make that thought a part of the mental math. In the end it's a similar math to moving an injured patient. If you are sure they are going to die by not moving, then move them the best you can and hope for the best.
 
chiefjason said:
"Overall, 9.6 percent of the study patients had amputations, and more than one-third of those patients had received a tourniquet. However, amputation patients who received a tourniquet had significantly lower mortality rates than those who did not — 2.9 percent vs. 7.9 percent."

I remember being trained to only do them in life or death situations due to the risk/damage to the effected limb. Which kind of never made sense to me. If it's bad enough to consider a TQ it's probably bad enough to just need one. Looks like you are trading a limb for a life though based on those numbers. I gotta think most folks would take that trade in a bad situation. But I also think folks need to understand that going in. There is a real chance the TQ both saves the life and helps ensure an amputation. At least make that thought a part of the mental math. In the end it's a similar math to moving an injured patient. If you are sure they are going to die by not moving, then move them the best you can and hope for the best.
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The data are clear, tourniquets can only be beneficial. There is no 'downside'. The chance of putting one on a limb and needing that limb amputated because of the TQ is so extraordinarily low it's not even a thought.
 
Chuckman said:
The data are clear, tourniquets can only be beneficial. There is no 'downside'. The chance of putting one on a limb and needing that limb amputated because of the TQ is so extraordinarily low it's not even a thought.
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Which is a big change from what we were told in class 26 ish years ago. TQ's were kind of an afterthought and certainly were not fashionable like they are now. Glad to see that comeback has some stats to back it up. Always good to be fact based instead of assumption based, especially in a bad situation.
 
I am interested in learning more than I think I know. Any trauma/STB courses in the Moore Co area?
 
Anyone know why a new Tourniquet has an expiration date?
 
SnowRooster said:
Anyone know why a new Tourniquet has an expiration date?
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So they can sell more.
I've used one 3 times in the past 11yrs. All the others I have been able to stop bleeds with direct pressure. Once I had to put 2 on the same limb to stop the bleeding, Farm machinery incident to the leg.
 
chiefjason said:
Which is a big change from what we were told in class 26 ish years ago. TQ's were kind of an afterthought and certainly were not fashionable like they are now. Glad to see that comeback has some stats to back it up. Always good to be fact based instead of assumption based, especially in a bad situation.
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^This!

I need a new class. Last time I practiced a tourniquet, it was putting a stick through my cravat and twisting. Then I was supposed to make a “T” on their forehead...typically with blood.
 
I've got one of the whiz bang ones, have a pretty good idea how to use it but never carry it. Might be time to dig it out.
 
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