Enhanced Combat Tourniquet with Modular Wound Infection Prevention Capabilities

Tourniquets are an important medical tool that are used to apply pressure to a wounded limb or extremity to restrict and prevent blood loss. Tourniquets can be used during some surgical procedures and in emergencies to stop severe traumatic bleeding. As the U.S. Military faces peer and near-peer adversaries, the time-to-evacuation for wounded warfighters is expected to increase. Likewise, the difficulties involved in resupply will prolong the care that must be provided on or near the battlefield. With longer times until medical intervention, it is expected that the number of deaths due to infection in these types of wounds will increase. Therefore, new technologies for antibiotic delivery are needed, with an emphasis on both dispensing near the wound site and allowing self or buddy care in the event that a medic is not available. In this project, TDA Research, Inc. (TDA) will develop a modular drug delivery system that can interface with available tourniquets to provide antibiotics and other pharmaceutical injections at the point of injury while applying the tourniquet. The antibiotic administration device is simple, easy to use and will enable every warfighter to provide this important wound infection treatment without requiring additional medical training.