Added tourniquet to my thigh pocket

[happy-diver]

well then he wouldn't wanna go diving sharks with Misty Hyman wearing MoistNeoprene either

 

[NAUI Wowie]

I've been reading the incidents re: shark bites involving swimmers / surfers / divers being bit. Had some conversations with an Army SF medic, and I decided to add a tourniquet in my thigh pocket. At least I'll have one handy in case of. This one is dead simple and will work ok at least for a while. You can practice to a point on yourself over and over easily.

Amazon.com: 6.5 ft / 2m Emergency Silicone Tourniquet by Dakar: Health & Personal Care

The medic said it's a shame people die from blood loss that can be stopped right then at the time of the injury. We'll try and keep you alive while getting you on the boat / into shore. No guarantees, but we'll try.

You are going to carry a tourniquet with you UNDERWATER on EVERY dive?

That reminds me of divers that carry every conceivable device on their person and most items in duplicate. Theres a scuba term for that

Have you ever looked up the odds of a scuba diver getting bitten by a shark? And then calculate how many die instantly so dont need a tourniquet?

I mean the odds of needing a tourniquet in the water must be something like turning in the winning lottery ticket while simultaneously getting hit by lightning at the same moment.

Not trying to be snarky but wow. Id rather carry redundant air, smb, and a cutting tool and call it a day.

I do think its a good idea for a tourniquet type solution on a dive boat however.

 

[CharlieDontDive]

The tourniquet was abandoned as a first aid tool several decades ago around here. If you need to stop a serious bleed, a pressure bandage is much, much better than a torniquet which will cut off circulation. A torniquet should be a last effort, when all other measures have proved to be ineffective. Like, when someone has lost a limb.

There's a reason that all US combat troops carry them (often several) when outside the wire. If someone loses a leg or arm, a tourniquet is going to be their only chance of survival. But yea, tourniquets are for "serious risk of bleeding to death" situations, not "goddammit this cut won't stop bleeding".

Not really practical for diving, though. If someone's bleeding bad enough to need a tourniquet then the focus should be on getting them out of the water.

 

[Storker]

There's a reason that all US combat troops carry them (often several) when outside the wire. If someone loses a leg or arm in an engagement, a tourniquet is going to be their only chance of survival.

Except for combat injuries, what's the probability of someone losing a limb? As compared to other traumas which cause an artery bleed?

I don't know, but I suspect it's rather small.

 

[CharlieDontDive]

Except for combat injuries, what's the probability of someone losing a limb? As compared to other traumas which cause an artery bleed?

I don't know, but I suspect it's rather small.

Certain specific gunshot wounds, i.e. to the femoral or brachial arteries. Severe industrial-type trauma. Foot slipping in a woodchipper or some other terrible accident.

Nothing statistically likely, though.

 

[Storker]

Nothing statistically likely, though.

Then we agree on that.

And I'll continue to prefer carrying a pressure bandage or two instead of mucking with a tourniquet. Particularly since a pressure bandage is useful for most severe bleeds except a lost limb situation, and a tourniquet isn't of much help for torso wounds. Or head wounds ("quick, apply the tourniquet around his neck!")

 

[CharlieDontDive]

Then we agree on that.

And I'll continue to prefer carrying a pressure bandage or two instead of mucking with a tourniquet. Particularly since a pressure bandage is useful for most severe bleeds except a lost limb situation, and a tourniquet isn't of much help for torso wounds. Or head wounds ("quick, apply the tourniquet around his neck!")

I think I'm going to add "why don't you go apply a tourniquet to your neck" to my toolbox of insults...

 

[Doc Harry]

I just carry a cam strap for a tourniquet. Fast, easy, cheap, compact. Can be tightened easily with one hand.

Exactly what you want in the water when dealing with a severely lacerated or severed limb.

When you get ashore or on the boat, you can switch to kinder, gentler tourniquet.

 

[HBVetera n2312]

A tourniquet is for stopping arterial bleeding. A pressure bandage will NOT stop arterial bleeding.

Yes the chances are small, until it's YOU that needs one.

The tourniquet I have used takes up the space of a deck of playing cards and weighs less than one. Certainly less space than redundant air, etc.

The CAT III Tourniquet can be used with one hand to self treat.

Mucking with a tourniquet is a lot easier than mucking with a pressure bandage, however, those two interventions are indicated for two different types of bleeds.

All said, I am stoked people are at least discussing one of the first areas of training EVERYONE likes to blow off..... medical.

 

[Storker]

A pressure bandage will NOT stop arterial bleeding.

So why has how to correctly apply a pressure bandage to an arterial bleeding been taught on every first aid class I've taken, plus during every Home Guard medic exercise I've participated in?