SOF Tourniquet (SOF-T)

Description

American warfighters were being shot and blown up with IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices), causing medical professionals to further reassess the need for treatment. They studied wound data and learned some interesting things:

Only 6 percent of deaths occurred due to airway obstructions, but 60 percent died from hemorrhage or bleeding out, according to the Fundamentals of Combat Casualty Care (2012).  Accordingly, priorities shifted. Circulation became the number one priority, reordering the old list to ABC to CAB: circulation, airway, and breathing.  Battlefield physicians and medics realized that care immediately after an injury greatly contributed to the survivability of the patient. Tourniquets were distributed and used liberally, greatly increasing survival rates among the injured.

The SOF Tactical Tourniquet-Wide (SOF-T) is the result of an exhaustive 24-month research initiative compiling end-user research and laboratory studies to develop a more effective, easier-to-use tourniquet for all environments.

High-strength, lightweight alloy components are used in critical areas of function ensuring reliability in the most challenging of circumstances and on the largest of limbs.

This was all accomplished while reducing the weight by around 15%. The high-strength hook and buckle interface was designed for security, strength, and ease of application. The design allows for rapid routing of the tourniquet strap while eliminating the need for re-threading the webbing through a buckle. By eliminating the requirement to re-route the webbing the tourniquet is easier to use when operating under stress. This reduces application time, which can result in reduced levels of blood loss and better quality patient care.

The SOF-T also has a true 1 ½” tourniquet strap providing a wider compression pattern than most standard tourniquets, or tourniquets with a 1″ constricting band moving through a 1 ½” sleeve. This broader compression pattern allows for increased patient comfort and additional arterial compression. The tourniquet handle is machined from a single piece of high-strength aluminum bar stock. The strength of the handle virtually eliminates the risk of product failure. It is then anodized to minimize the product’s signature in a tactical environment.

Dimensions: 5″ H x 2″ W x 1.75″ D Weight: 4 oz

Photos