Page 20 - Journal of Special Operations Medicine - Winter 2014

can be placed in a few seconds to any compressible region 9. Kragh JF Jr, Baer DG, Walters TJ. Extended (16-hour)
(scalp, junctional areas, or extremities) with almost no tourniquet application after combat wounds: a case report
pain while preserving distal blood flow. Comparatively and review of the current literature. J Orthop Trauma.
little training is required and skill retention is high. The 2007;21(4):274–278.
iTClamp weighs 1 oz, has half the volume of standard 10. Kragh JF Jr, Walters TJ, Baer DG, et al. Practical use of
emergency tourniquets to stop bleeding in major limb
pressure dressing, and can be worn in easily accessible trauma. J Trauma. 2008;64(2):S38–S50.
locations. It has a unique mechanism of action (mechani- 11. Kragh JF Jr, Littrel ML, Jones JA, et al. Battle casualty
cal direct pressure); therefore, it can be combined with survival with emergency tourniquet use to stop limb
other devices to treat a wide range of injuries. Given the bleeding. J Emerg Med. 2009;41(6):590–596.
iTClamp’s weakness of not adequately addressing massive 12. Kragh JF Jr, Walters TJ, Westmoreland T, et al. Tragedy
soft tissue injuries (amputations), both the iTClamp and into drama: an American history of tourniquet use in the
the tourniquet should be part of the hemostasis equipment current war. J Spec Oper Med. 2013;13(3):5–25.
carried by each Soldier in the individual first aid kit. 13. Swan KG Jr, Wright DS, Barbagiovanni SS, et al. Tourni-
quets revisited. J Trauma. 2009;66(3):672–675.
14. Kragh JF. Use of tourniquets and their effects on limb
Disclosures function in the modern combat environment. Foot Ankle
Clin N Am. 2010;15:23–40.
Jessica McKee is the clinical director for Innovative 15. Schreckengaust R, Zarow GJ. Effects of training and simu-
Trauma Care, the company that manufactures the lated combat stress on leg tourniquet application accuracy,
iTClamp 50. Ms. McKee also is the recipient of an Al- time and effectiveness. Mil Med. 2014;179(2):114–120.
™
berta Innovates-Research Associate Grant. 16. Savage E, Payne E, O’Leary T, et al. Re-evaluating the
field tourniquet for the Canadian forces. Mil Med. 2013;
178(6):669–675.
Disclaimers
17. Tien HC, Rizoli SB, Acharya SV, et al. An evaluation of
The opinions or assertions contained herein are the pri- tactical combat casualty care interventions in a combat en-
vate views of the authors and are not to be construed as vironment. American College of Surgeons. 2008;207(2).
official or reflecting the views of the Department of the 18. Walters TJ, Kauvar DS, McManus JG, et al. Effectiveness
Army, Department of Defense or the US Government. of self-applied tourniquets in human volunteers. Mil Med.
2005;9(4):416–422.
This work was prepared as part of their official duties, 19. Butler FK Jr, Holcomb JB, Giebner SD, et al. Tactical
and as such, there is no copyright to be transferred. Combat Casualty Care 2007: Evolving concepts and bat-
tlefield experience. Mil Med. 2007;172(11):1–19.
20. Childers R, Tolentino JC, Leasiolagi J, et al. Tourniquets
References
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10 Journal of Special Operations Medicine Volume 14, Edition 4/Winter 2014