Hemorrhage Control
Download the full "TCCC"
TACTICAL COMBAT CASUALTY CARE HANDBOOK here
The number one cause of preventable battlefield deaths is hemorrhage from compressible wounds.
Therefore, the primary medical interventions during the care under fire phase are directed toward stopping any life-threatening bleeding as quickly as possible.
Injuries to an artery or other major vessel can rapidly result in hemorrhagic shock and exsanguinations.
A casualty may exsanguinate before medical help arrives, so definitive control of life threatening hemorrhage on the battlefield cannot be overemphasized.
In Vietnam, bleeding from an extremity wound was the cause of death in more than 2,500 casualties who had sustained no other injury.
Extremity wounds.
The rapid, temporary use of a tourniquet is the recommended management for all life-threatening extremity hemorrhage.
Standard field dressings and direct pressure may not work reliably to control extremity hemorrhage.
While traditional ATLS training discourages the use of tourniquets, they are appropriate in the tactical combat setting.
The benefits of tourniquet use over other methods of hemorrhage control include:
• Direct pressure and compression are difficult to perform and maintain in combat settings and result in delays in getting the rescuer and casualty to cover.
• Tourniquets can be applied to the casualty by himself, thus limiting the rescuer’s exposure to hostile fire.
• There are few complications from tourniquet use. Ischemic damage is rare if the tourniquet is in place for less than two hours.
During the care under fire phase, the casualty and rescuer remain in grave danger from hostile fire.
If the casualty is observed to have bleeding from an extremity, the care provider should apply a tourniquet to the injured extremity over the uniform, high on the extremity, and move himself and the casualty to cover as quickly as possible.
Non Extremity wounds.
These injuries are difficult to treat in the care under fire phase. Attempt to provide direct pressure to these wounds as you rapidly move the casualty to cover.
Once under cover, a hemostatic agent is appropriate for these injuries.
Download the full "TCCC"
TACTICAL COMBAT CASUALTY CARE HANDBOOK here
The number one cause of preventable battlefield deaths is hemorrhage from compressible wounds.
Therefore, the primary medical interventions during the care under fire phase are directed toward stopping any life-threatening bleeding as quickly as possible.
Injuries to an artery or other major vessel can rapidly result in hemorrhagic shock and exsanguinations.
A casualty may exsanguinate before medical help arrives, so definitive control of life threatening hemorrhage on the battlefield cannot be overemphasized.
In Vietnam, bleeding from an extremity wound was the cause of death in more than 2,500 casualties who had sustained no other injury.
Extremity wounds.
The rapid, temporary use of a tourniquet is the recommended management for all life-threatening extremity hemorrhage.
Standard field dressings and direct pressure may not work reliably to control extremity hemorrhage.
While traditional ATLS training discourages the use of tourniquets, they are appropriate in the tactical combat setting.
The benefits of tourniquet use over other methods of hemorrhage control include:
• Direct pressure and compression are difficult to perform and maintain in combat settings and result in delays in getting the rescuer and casualty to cover.
• Tourniquets can be applied to the casualty by himself, thus limiting the rescuer’s exposure to hostile fire.
• There are few complications from tourniquet use. Ischemic damage is rare if the tourniquet is in place for less than two hours.
During the care under fire phase, the casualty and rescuer remain in grave danger from hostile fire.
If the casualty is observed to have bleeding from an extremity, the care provider should apply a tourniquet to the injured extremity over the uniform, high on the extremity, and move himself and the casualty to cover as quickly as possible.
Non Extremity wounds.
These injuries are difficult to treat in the care under fire phase. Attempt to provide direct pressure to these wounds as you rapidly move the casualty to cover.
Once under cover, a hemostatic agent is appropriate for these injuries.
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