Throughout the history of modern warfare, countless wounded fighters have been saved from bleeding to death by tourniquets -- the straps or ties that wrap around a damaged limb and staunch hemorrhaging.
But what if a soldier is shot through the pelvis, or in the armpit, where a tourniquet would be of no use?Militaries the world over have grappled with the question for decades, and the issue took on new urgency during the US-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.Now the US Army has found an answer.The service currently is training and equipping its combat medics with a new device, called a junctional tourniquet.It looks a bit like a belt, but comes with two inflatable bladders that can be pumped up to put pressure over a wound, even in locations where a traditional tourniquet would be ineffective. more
