Page 57 - Journal of Special Operations Medicine - Summer 2014

Kendrick EMS, Mooresville, NC; http://www.kendrick the KTD as part of the Expeditionary Medical Support
ems.com/), formerly part of the MES–Ground Ambu- (EMEDS) system. See Table 1 for a summary of splint
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lance and Special Forces Tactical; the REEL Splint (RS, specifications.
Reel Research and Development, Ben Lomond, CA;
http://splints.webs.com/), a component of the MES– The purpose of this study is to determine the differ-
Tactical Combat Medical Care, as well as Special Forces ences between the four commercially available devices
Tactical, Civil Affairs Treatment, Ground and Air Am- sold to the U.S. Government. Specific outcomes tested
bulance, Forward Surgical Team, and Combat Support included time to application, proportion of successful
Hospital sets; and the Slishman Traction Splint (STS, Res- application as defined by instructions for use, amount
cue Essentials, Salida, CO; http://www.rescue-essentials of traction applied (ideally 10% of body weight), and
.com/slishman-traction-splint-1/), awarded a NATO Stock provider confidence and preference as measured by sur-
Number but not currently part of an MES. The Coast vey. No previous studies have evaluated these devices
Guard authorizes the KTD, RS, or Hare Traction Splint and their suitability for the military environment. The
to be selected by individual unit preference. The Navy authors hypothesized that comparison of the use of
9
currently includes the RS in the Authorized Medical Al- these devices would demonstrate a significant difference
lowance List (AMAL)-636 Battalion Aid Station and in the objective performance data and provider prefer-
had in the past listed the KTD as an intended component ence/confidence to allow the authors to provide a rec-
of the AMAL-653 Corpsman Assault Pack. The Air ommendation for standardization of a single splint for
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Force commonly uses the Hare or RS but also includes battlefield use.

Table 1 Device Specifications
Carrying
GSA Dimensions Weight Carrying Splint
Splint Manufacturer NSN Price Image (in.) (oz) Material Option Design
CT-6 FareTec 6515-01- $83.00 11 × 4 × 3 13 Carbon fiber 11 × 4 × 3 Unipolar
521-5730 pole with “Cinch” bag
nylon straps or MOLLE
pouch

Kendrick Multiple 6515-01- $125.94 9.5 × 3.5 20 Aluminum pole 9.5 × 3.5 Unipolar
Traction including: 346-9186 with nylon storage
Device Kendrick straps pouch. Some
(KTD) EMS, Rapid available
Deployment with
Products, MOLLE
Emergency
Products &
Research,
North
American
Rescue
Products
Reel Splint Reel 6515-01- $466.00 17 × 10 × 11 176 Steel poles, 17 × 10 × 11 Bipolar
(RS) Research and 250-8936 foam padded carrying bag
Development steel crossbars,
Corp. and nylon
straps

Slishman Rescue 6515-32- $180.00 22 × 3 × 3 21 Aluminum 22 × 3 × 3 Unipolar
Traction Essentials 083-5266 pole, nylon MOLLE
Splint straps, pouch
(STS) neoprene ankle
hitch, and mid-
leg strap

Evaluation of Traction Splints for Battlefield Use 47