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B L O O D L E S S
F I E L D S
RIGHT FIT Skin injuries can
occur, even if pressure and tourniquet time are optimal.
better than various alternatives, including underlying padding, underlying stockinette, single-layer sleeves or no protective material at all.
4. Reprocess with care
You may be able to save money by reprocessing and reusing tourniquet cuffs, but be careful. An appropriate and adequate tourniquet cuff-testing program can be complex and expensive, so it's important to consider the pros and cons. Manufacturers of "reusable" cuffs usually provide straightforward instructions on how to clean, inspect and test cuffs between uses. But no such instructions accompany "disposable" or
"single-use" cuffs.
If you're considering reprocessing and reusing single-use cuffs:
• establish a cuff-testing program, so each cuff is thoroughly tested according to a written protocol between uses, and the results are thoroughly documented;
• use a unique identifier for each cuff, so you can record the number of reuse cycles; and
• replace each cuff after you've reached a pre-established number of uses.
Your cuff-testing protocol should follow the manufacturer's recommendations and, at a minimum, should include:
• a leak test, including inflating the cuff to a maximum pressure recommended by the manufacturer, with the cuff wrapped around a test mandrel or laid flat;
• a fastener integrity test, to ensure the fasteners aren't degraded to the point of being unsafe at the maximum pressure specified by the manufacturer;
• a physical inspection, to detect blockages of the pneumatic passageway in any portion of the
