Physiological evaluation of the U.S. Army one-handed tourniquet.
OBJECTIVE
To provide a physiological assessment of the U.S. Army one-handed tourniquet (OHT).


METHODS
An OHT was self-applied by 26 subjects, to maximal tolerable tightness, to the proximal arm or thigh under different conditions and positions, and the presence of blood flow was assessed using Doppler ultrasonography or occlusion plethysmography.


RESULTS
Doppler sound was eliminated at the radial artery for all subjects with OHT application but was not stopped at the popliteal or dorsalis pedis artery for any subjects. The OHT reduced forearm blood flow by 79% but decreased leg blood flow by only approximately 50%, regardless of condition and position of application to the thigh.


CONCLUSIONS
The OHT appears to effectively minimize blood flow in the arm but not in the lower extremities, and clinical assessment of blood flow disappearance by Doppler ultrasonography may underestimate the magnitude of actual blood flow to the limb.
Wenke
Joseph C
JC
U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research, Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234-6315, USA.
Walters
Thomas J
TJ
Greydanus
Dominique J
DJ
Pusateri
Anthony E
AE
Convertino
Victor A
VA
D001132:Arm / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D004638:Emergency Treatment / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D023821:Limb Salvage / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008887:Military Medicine / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008889:Military Personnel; D010991:Plethysmography; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology; D014111:Tourniquets; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D014481:United States; D014857:Warfare