Throughout both the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, IEDs have been the leading cause of death and dismemberment for US servicemen and women — mostly because the pelvic and upper leg injuries that they generate can’t easily be treated with conventional tourniquets. That’s why a former combat medic went ahead and redesigned the device for 21st century combat.
The SAM Junctional Tourniquet, developed on commission by Portland-based design firm Ziba for SAM Medical, is purpose-built for the chaos following an IED attack. The belt weighs about 500g and can be deployed in under 25 seconds simply by following the simple visual instructions printed right there on the belt. Unlike older tourniquet designs, the SAM is capable of treating injuries at the waist thanks to an air-fillable bladder hidden under the nylon mesh.
The SAM tourniquet recently won approval from US authorities, and 1200 units have since been sent to combat areas, where they’re already saving lives. [Ziba – Wired]