A Validated Hemorrhage Control Simulator

Simulution, the National Capital Area Simulation Center and Combat Medical Systems Inc., propose to produce a realistic simulator for training combat medics to control hemorrhage from the chest, abdomen and groin. This simulator will consist of a mannequin that has a durable base with replaceable blood vessels, organs and skin pads. Organs will be created with pre-made injuries or the trainer can cut uninjured simulated organs to create injuries that cause varying degrees of hemorrhage. A hydraulic circulatory system will perfuse the organs with artificial blood at a controllable flow rate to simulate hemorrhaging injuries of varying severity. The skin pads will contain embedded beads of artificial blood to provide realistic surface bleeding. An artificial blood will be chosen in concert with a simulated hemostatic agent that will cause the artificial blood to harden and clot. This agent will be impregnated in gauze and packaged in simulated packages of Combat Gauze. This simulator and its associated curriculum will allow combat medics to learn to control bleeding using simple first aid techniques as well as advanced techniques including hemostatic agents, when to abandon one treatment and move to another, and how to chose from different hemorrhage control techniques during combat.