Hemorrhage Control and Traumatic Cardiac Arrest - Junctional and Truncal Tourniquet Strategies

Hemorrhage remains  the leading preventable cause of death in trauma, and rapid control of  exsanguinating bleeding is critical. Many patients who succumb to hemorrhage  actually present with potentially survivable injuries, underscoring the  importance of timely intervention. Drawing on lessons learned from military  medicine and emerging civilian data, this session will explore the role of  junctional and truncal tourniquets in prehospital and early hospital  care.    In addition, new approaches to traumatic cardiac arrest—where blood loss  precipitates cardiac standstill—are demonstrating the potential for return of  spontaneous circulation (ROSC) in scenarios once thought universally fatal.  Participants will gain a practical understanding of current devices, evolving  strategies, and international research shaping the future of hemorrhage  control and resuscitation.    Presentation Description/Outline    This interactive session will combine real-world case studies, videos, and  images from trauma care to highlight the urgency of hemorrhage control and  emerging strategies for traumatic cardiac arrest. Participants will be  prompted to reflect on how they would respond in critical moments, with  audience polling and live discussion used throughout to reinforce key  decision points.    The presentation will review current junctional and truncal tourniquet  technologies, summarize international research, and translate military and  civilian experiences into actionable insights for EMS providers. By the end,  attendees will be better equipped to recognize survivable injuries, initiate  effective hemorrhage control, and understand evolving approaches to traumatic  cardiac arrest management.    Interactive Elements    A combination of videos from actual traumatic events and resuscitations and  pictures will be presented for participants to consider how they would  initiate hemorrhage control through reflection prompts. Discussion throughout  the session will be encouraged. Polling of the audience is being developed  now to be used in this session.