RESEARCH INTO THE EFFECTIVENESS OF USING A TOURNIQUET TO STOP BLEEDING «SICH-TOURNIQUET»

Abstract

The experience of combat medics in the conditions of full-scale Russian aggression against Ukraine has demonstrated a huge amount of massive bleeding in the event of combat trauma. The operation of tourniquets is a fundamental element of modern tactical medicine. Objective. To assess the effectiveness of the tourniquet for stopping bleeding «SICH-Tourniquet» and to build a mathematical model that would allow predicting the pressure under the tourniquet based on individual anthropometric and hemodynamic parameters of a person. Materials. The study involved 130 volunteers aged 10 to 73 years, including 20 children. The gender distribution was as follows: 55 (42.3 %) men and 55 (42.3 %) women, as well as 20 children (10–17 years; 7 girls, 13 boys) Results. Observation included measurement of hemodynamic parameters, assessment of application time, pain syndrome, capillary test, effectiveness of dry and wet tourniquet, as well as durability during repeated use. It was found that the tourniquet provides complete occlusion of arterial blood flow in both the upper and lower extremities, without significant difference from its position. Correlation and regression analysis allowed us to identify key factors that influence effective compression pressure. For the upper extremities, the following statistically significant predictors were: gender, arm circumference, and body mass index. For the lower extremities, the following had the greatest influence: age, hip circumference, and diastolic pressure. Conclusions. Simplified models suitable for predicting pressure in field conditions were created. «SICH-Tourniquet» demonstrated high efficiency, reliability and safety, particularly in the pediatric group. The resulting mathematical models can be used to optimize individual compression selection in tactical and emergency medical care.