title: Control of Traumatic Extremity Hemorrhage.
abstract: Although most extremity hemorrhage from trauma can be controlled with direct pressure and/or pressure dressings, the occasional uncontrolled hemorrhage can be life threatening. Tools that may be able to control such life-threatening extremity hemorrhage include hemostatic dressings, tourniquets, and several new devices that have recently become available. Hemostatic dressings, a relatively new concept, incorporate materials that increase coagulation into a dressing that is applied directly to the wound. Although the use of tourniquets has a long history, recent military conflicts have provided numerous studies that supported and refined their use. The novel extremity hemorrhage control devices effectively control bleeding in one of several ways: direct compression, arterial compression above the level of injury, and sealing the wounds' edges, creating a hematoma.
authors.affiliation: Michael W. Day is a trauma clinical practice specialist at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, Georgia. medstarmike@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Day
mesh_terms: D001458:Bandages; D005121:Extremities / Q000293:injuries*; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D014111:Tourniquets