As the frequency of mass shootings across the country continues to rise, some doctors are recommending that civilians be trained in how to apply tourniquets to victims in disaster situations.
The tourniquet has been around since the Middle Ages, and it has been used in both battles and surgeries to stop heavy blood flow from extremities. If properly applied, doctors say, tourniquets can create enough time to allow medical personnel to arrive and help save lives and limbs.
Dr. Pedro Teixeira, a Dell Medical School trauma surgeon, said the Stop the Bleed campaign was created by the White House after the 2012 Sandy Hook elementary school shooting in Connecticut to increase civilian awareness on how to help.
“It’s to create this idea of increased awareness about the potentially lethal injuries that happen … and create a program to help people, regular people, to apply very simple maneuvers to stop bleeding,” Teixeira said.
Tourniquets have proven useful in several recent mass shootings, including the Las Vegas shootings in October, and Tuesday’s shooting at YouTube’s headquarters in California, where a Carl’s Jr. employee used a bungee cord to help a woman who had been shot in the calf.
Teixeira said tourniquets were used on several Austin bombing victims, although the tourniquets were administered by medical personnel, not civilians.
Although they can be life-saving tools, improper use of tourniquets can lead to the amputation of limbs if over-tightened or left for extended periods of time, and can see the continued loss of blood if too loose.
“Delay in application is probably the most significant (mistake),” Teixeira said. “Second, there’s a tendency of people not making it tight enough. … And I will say there is a third potential mistake, after you place the tourniquet and you achieve control of the bleeding, you don’t want to take it down to see what’s going on. After the tourniquet is applied, the place to take it off is at the hospital.”
In a study led by Dell Medical School trauma researchers, bleeding victims who received a tourniquet before arriving at the hospital had a nearly six times greater chance of surviving compared with those who didn’t receive a tourniquet.
Improvised tourniquets made from belts or other material are not reliable substitutes due to inconsistent pressure, so they are not recommended by medical personnel.
Tourniquet kits can be bought at most local drug stores or online with prices ranging from $10 to $40. Dell Medical School also provides tourniquet training to nonmedical personnel. For more information contact traumaservices@seton.org.
Stop the Bleed
Here are three tips from the U.S. Homeland Security Department on how to stop bleeding with a traditional tourniquet kit. Remember to always call 911 first.
1. Apply pressure with your hands: Find where the bleeding is coming from and apply firm, steady pressure to the site with both hands if you can.
2. Apply dressing and press: Apply firm and steady pressure to the site with bandages or clothing.
3. Apply a tourniquet: If the bleeding doesn't stop, place a tourniquet 2 to 3 inches closer to the torso from the bleeding site. The tourniquet can be placed over clothing. Pull the strap through the buckle and twist the rod tightly. Clip and secure the rod with the attached clasp or Velcro strap. You can apply a second tourniquet if the first did not stop bleeding.
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