What is a tourniquet?
A pressure bandage is a type of bandage used to stop heavy bleeding. The advantage is that the pressure acts selectively on one spot and therefore does not obstruct the complete inflow or outflow of blood. If, on the other hand, a normal tight bandage were applied, the entire body part would be constricted.
Reasons for a pressure bandage
Pressure bandages are used on different parts of the body in different situations. What they all have in common, however, is the goal of stopping heavy bleeding. An average adult has an average amount of blood in the body of 5 to 6 litres, depending on age, weight and height.
Even a loss of one litre of blood can be life-threatening. It is therefore essential to stop bleeding, even though it can lead to other risks such as infection. Pressure bandages are often used in first aid, for example to stop bleeding from deeper cuts.
In principle, a pressure bandage can be applied anywhere (arms, legs, trunk), but never on the neck. This would restrict breathing and blood flow to the brain. A further area of application for the pressure bandage is after a cardiac catheter examination.
In this case, a medical examination of the heart is carried out via an access of a vessel of the groin, wrist or elbow. This serves the diagnosis and therapy of various diseases, especially of the coronary vessels or the heart valves. The application of a pressure bandage is indispensable after this procedure.
How do you apply a pressure bandage?
Before applying the pressure bandage, the affected body part should be elevated so that the blood flow is reduced. If there is a wound on the arm, the artery on the inner upper arm between triceps and biceps can be squeezed with the fingers. It is easier if another person or the injured person does this himself, so that the first aider has both hands available for the pressure bandage.
Before the bandage is wrapped, a sterile wound cover, e.g. a compress, should be placed over the wound and a stable object over it that cannot absorb the blood. An unopened gauze bandage is well suited for this. This is now fixed with another gauze bandage with pressure and so strong that the bleeding stops.
The injured part of the body should continue to be elevated even after the bandage has been applied. If the wound is on the trunk, you can try to apply a pressure bandage as explained above. If this is not possible, the pressure must be applied by hand.
How long should a pressure bandage be left in place?
How long a pressure bandage is left in place depends on the cause. In first aid, the pressure bandage is always left in place until the injured person is under (emergency) medical treatment. However, it should be observed whether there are signs of insufficient blood circulation in the extremities (white fingers or toes, numbness, etc.).
If so, the bandage may need to be loosened slightly. The doctor must then decide how to proceed. In many cases, the wound will have to be treated surgically, for example. Pressure bandages after a cardiac catheter examination are left in the groin for 24 hours and on the wrist for 12 hours. The removal of these pressure bandages, however, is only carried out under the supervision and guidance of medical personnel.
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