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Tourniquet Application and Topical Hemostatics

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Interventional Critical Care

Abstract

Hemorrhagic shock is a life-threatening and time-sensitive condition that can be mitigated and reversed by a number of techniques including transfusions to replace blood loss and reverse anticoagulation, direct pressure and tourniquets to mechanically reduce blood loss, surgical techniques to directly close vessels and wounds, and hemostatic agents to reduce blood loss by improving coagulation of blood on tissue surfaces. In this chapter, we will discuss two of these methods that are easily learned and readily available for the advanced practice provider. Direct pressure and tourniquet placement are vital to extremity injury management to prevent blood loss. Central wounds and specific sites not able to be compressed are also amendable to hemostatic materials impregnated with pro-coagulant agents or directly bound to thrombin and/or fibrin to stimulate clot formation. These are often used for surgery and can be valuable adjuncts at the bedside in the emergency room, wards, and ICU.

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Correspondence to Samuel Wade Ross .

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Mulkey, S.A., Surane, J., Ross, S.W. (2021). Tourniquet Application and Topical Hemostatics. In: Taylor, D.A., Sherry, S.P., Sing, R.F. (eds) Interventional Critical Care. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64661-5_16

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64661-5_16

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