TY - JOUR
T1 - Prehospital tourniquet use
T2 - An evaluation of community application and outcome
AU - Barnard, Leslie M.
AU - Guan, Sally
AU - Zarmer, Lori
AU - Mills, Brianna
AU - Blackwood, Jennifer
AU - Bulger, Eileen
AU - Yang, Betty Y.
AU - Johnston, Peter
AU - Vavilala, Monica S.
AU - Sayre, Michael R.
AU - Rea, Thomas D.
AU - Murphy, David L.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - BACKGROUND: There is substantial investment in layperson and first responder training involving tourniquet use for hemorrhage control. Little is known however about prehospital tourniquet application, field conversion, or outcomes in the civilian setting.We describe the experience of a metropolitan region with prehospital tourniquet application. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study characterizing prehospital tourniquet use treated by emergency medical services (EMS) in King County,Washington, from January 2018 to June 2019. Emergency medical services and hospital records were abstracted for demographics, injury mechanism, tourniquet details, clinical care, and outcomes.We evaluated the incidence of tourniquet application, who applied the device (EMS, law enforcement, or layperson), and subsequent course. RESULTS: A total of 168 patients received tourniquet application, an incidence of 5.1 per 100,000 person-years and 3.48 per 1,000 EMS responses for trauma. Tourniquets were applied for penetrating trauma (64%), blunt trauma (30%), and bleeding ateriovenous fistulas (7%). Asubset was critically ill: 13% had systolic blood pressures of <90mmHg, 8%had Glasgow Coma Scale score of <13, and 3% had cardiac arrest. Among initial applications, 48% were placed by law enforcement, 33% by laypersons, and 18% by EMS. Among tourniquets applied by layperson or lawenforcement (n = 137), EMS relied solely on the original tourniquet in 45% (n = 61), placed a second tourniquet in 20% (n = 28), and removed the tourniquet without replacement in 35% (n = 48). Overall, 24% required massive transfusion, 59% underwent urgent surgery, and 21% required vascular surgery. Mortality was 3% (n = 4). At hospital discharge, the tourniquet limb was fully functional in 81%, partially functional in 10%, and nonfunctional in 9%; decreased function was not attributed to tourniquet application. CONCLUSION: The high rate of application, need for urgent hospital intervention in a subset, and low incidence of apparent complication suggest that efforts to increase access and early tourniquet use can provide public health benefit.
AB - BACKGROUND: There is substantial investment in layperson and first responder training involving tourniquet use for hemorrhage control. Little is known however about prehospital tourniquet application, field conversion, or outcomes in the civilian setting.We describe the experience of a metropolitan region with prehospital tourniquet application. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study characterizing prehospital tourniquet use treated by emergency medical services (EMS) in King County,Washington, from January 2018 to June 2019. Emergency medical services and hospital records were abstracted for demographics, injury mechanism, tourniquet details, clinical care, and outcomes.We evaluated the incidence of tourniquet application, who applied the device (EMS, law enforcement, or layperson), and subsequent course. RESULTS: A total of 168 patients received tourniquet application, an incidence of 5.1 per 100,000 person-years and 3.48 per 1,000 EMS responses for trauma. Tourniquets were applied for penetrating trauma (64%), blunt trauma (30%), and bleeding ateriovenous fistulas (7%). Asubset was critically ill: 13% had systolic blood pressures of <90mmHg, 8%had Glasgow Coma Scale score of <13, and 3% had cardiac arrest. Among initial applications, 48% were placed by law enforcement, 33% by laypersons, and 18% by EMS. Among tourniquets applied by layperson or lawenforcement (n = 137), EMS relied solely on the original tourniquet in 45% (n = 61), placed a second tourniquet in 20% (n = 28), and removed the tourniquet without replacement in 35% (n = 48). Overall, 24% required massive transfusion, 59% underwent urgent surgery, and 21% required vascular surgery. Mortality was 3% (n = 4). At hospital discharge, the tourniquet limb was fully functional in 81%, partially functional in 10%, and nonfunctional in 9%; decreased function was not attributed to tourniquet application. CONCLUSION: The high rate of application, need for urgent hospital intervention in a subset, and low incidence of apparent complication suggest that efforts to increase access and early tourniquet use can provide public health benefit.
KW - Emergency medical services
KW - Hemorrhage
KW - Tourniquet
KW - Trauma
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U2 - 10.1097/TA.0000000000003145
DO - 10.1097/TA.0000000000003145
M3 - Article
C2 - 34016927
AN - SCOPUS:85106643559
SN - 2163-0755
VL - 90
SP - 1040
EP - 1047
JO - Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery
JF - Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery
IS - 6
ER -