tourniquet (redirected from Tourniquets)

tourniquet /tour·ni·quet/ (toor´nĭ-ket) a band to be drawn tightly around a limb for the temporary arrest of circulation in the distal area.

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tour·ni·quet (trn-kt, tûr-)

n.

A device, typically a tightly encircling bandage, used to check bleeding by temporarily stopping the flow of blood through a large artery in a limb.

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Tourniquet

A device used to control bleeding, consisting of a constricting band applied tightly around a limb above the wound. It should only be used if the bleeding in life-threatening and can not be controlled by other means.

Mentioned in: Phlebotomy, Wounds

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tourniquet

[tur′nikit, too͡r′-]

Etymology: Fr, turnstile

a device used in controlling hemorrhage, consisting of a wide constricting band applied to the limb close to the site of bleeding. The use of a tourniquet is a drastic measure and is to be used only if the hemorrhage is life-threatening and if other safer measures have proved ineffective. A tourniquet is also used routinely to distend veins before venipuncture. See also hemorrhage.

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tourniquet [toor´nĭ-ket]

a device for compression of an artery or vein; uses include stopping of the excessive bleeding of a hemorrhage, maintenance of a nearly bloodless operative field, prevention of spread of snake venom after a snakebite, and aiding in obtaining blood samples or giving intravenous injections.



For hemorrhage, a tourniquet should be used only as a last resort, when the bleeding is so severe that it is threatening the life of the injured person and cannot be stopped by direct pressure. In the case of snakebite, a moderately tight tourniquet may be applied to impede the spread of venom while not stopping arterial blood flow. For an intravenous injection, a loosely applied tourniquet inhibits blood flow in the superficial veins, making them more prominent so that a vein can be found for the injection. For maintenance of a nearly bloodless operative field, pneumatic tourniquets are often used. The American Association of Operating Room Nurses (AORN) has published guidelines for the use of tourniquets during surgery; see their web site at http://www.aorn.org.

To apply a tourniquet for control of arterial bleeding from the arm: Wrap a gauze pad twice with a strip of cloth just below the armpit and tie with a half knot; tie a stick at the knot with a square knot. Slowly twist stick to tighten.

tourniquet test one involving the application of a tourniquet to a limb, as in determination of capillary fragility (denoted by the appearance of petechiae) or of the status of the collateral circulation.

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tourniquet (turˑ·ni·kit),

n device used to control hemorrhage by occluding the artery proximal to the area of bleeding. It should only be used in drastic situations when the injury is considered life-threatening and other treatments are deemed ineffective. It is also used to dilate veins before venipuncture.

Tourniquet.

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tourniquet (tur´nikit),

n a device used in controlling hemorrhage, consisting of a wide constricting band applied to the limb proximal to the site of bleeding.

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tourniquet

a device for compression of an artery or vein, most commonly used in companion animals to facilitate obtaining blood samples or giving intravenous injections.

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Rumel tourniquet

one constructed of ligature doubled back through a tube, with the exposed loop used to temporarily occlude large vascular structures.

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tourniquet

A cord or constrictive band used to ↓ blood flow to 1+ extremity; tourniquets have clinical currency in ↓ the centripetal flow of toxins in snake and scorpion bites, and in ↓ the cardiac load in acute CHF, as may occur in an acute MI, where the tourniquets are rotated, simultaneously with other emergency measures–eg, O₂, lasix, nitroprusside, nitroglycerin; when used, a tourniquet should be confined to the proximal part of the extremity. Cf Rotating tourniquet.