Surrounded Ukrainian Soldier Survives 36 Days With Leg Tourniquet

The story is noteworthy both for the Ukrainian soldier's fortitude - and for the innovative Ukrainian tourniquet that saved his life for 36 days when the standard recommended tourniquet application is two hours. JL

Decimus reports in Daily Kos:

A Ukrainian soldier, 41-year-old “Alexander,” was wounded in the right leg in November during heavy fighting in Vovchansk, in Kharkiv oblast. A medic applied a tourniquet, as evacuation under fire was not possible. It is usually recommended that tourniquets be applied for no more than two hours. Thirty-six days (or 864 hours) later, he was brought to a hospital, where he underwent an operation. Surgeons were amazed he had survived. Nominally an apparatus to stanch blood loss for a short period until better medical care is provided, tourniquets have, by necessity, become so advanced with evolving technology that wounded Ukrainian soldiers have survived heretofore life threatening injuries for weeks

If you have watch any of the intense combat footage from this equally hellish Russo-Ukrainian War, you can almost always hear above the din of war, shouts for Tyрнікет! Tyрнікет! (phonetically “toorniket!” for tourniquet). The carnage of this war, as is always true for any intense combat of arms, has made the tourniquet a sine qua non of the soldier’s (and or medic’s) kit.

But what is nominally seen as an apparatus to aid in stanching blood loss for a short period until better emergency medical care could be administered has, by necessity, become so advanced in evolving technology that wounded Ukrainian soldiers, sometimes trapped behind enemy lines, have managed to survive what was heretofore life threatening injuries for weeks before being rescued. 

Ever adaptive and ever inventive Ukraine has come up with many technological advancements to help them withstand the Russian onslaught.  But most of the time we talk about advancements in armaments. Non-sexy things like the tourniquet do not often come up for discussion.  But next to the soldier’s gun, it is probably the most important item in their kit .. given the sanguinary nature of this war. 

And so what does Ukraine do?  They have been constantly making the tourniquet better and better.  And it is saving a lot of lives. And it is allowing wounded and trapped Ukrainian soldiers to keep hope alive … never giving up, never surrendering … until help arrives. The experiences of 41-year-old “Alexander” on the Vovchansk line is a case in point:

A Ukrainian soldier identified only as 41-year-old “Alexander” was wounded in the right leg in mid-November during heavy fighting in Vovchansk, in the Kharkiv region. A medic applied a tourniquet that saved his life, little knowing that it would remain in place for more than a month, as evacuation under fire was not possible. It is usually recommended that tourniquets be applied for no more than two hours.(emphasis mine)

Thirty-six days (or 864 hours) later, he was eventually brought to a hospital in the city of Kharkiv, where he underwent an operation. While he lost part of his leg, the surgeons were amazed that he had survived at all and were full of praise for the paramedics who had looked after him in the field.

www.kyivpost.com/...

The rapid evolution of Ukrainian made tourniquets have reached the point of arguably becoming the “gold standard”, especially the SICH-TOURNIQUET.  Among its attributes:

SICH-Tourniquet (Strengthened Individual Combat Hybrid Tourniquet) is a strengthened hybrid of two famous tourniquets. It is achieved through using metal strengthening components.   Due to aluminum furniture and special patented adhesive tape, integral structure and telescopic platform, this unique tourniquet stood under double pressure and worked successfully even being dirty from bleeding, from any grease or oil, and it didn’t lose its efficiency at extremely low or high temperature (-40 / +50). The tourniquet did not impact soft tissues at its application. Moreover, it can be applied with just one hand.(emphasis mine)

sicheurope.com/...

 

Without a doubt tourniquets alone, no matter how good, will not save the lives of all severely injured soldiers. But for a country hard pressed to get as many soldiers on line as possible, the ability to keep soldiers alive until they can be safely evacuated and treated is a huge plus. The more “Alexanders” and “Alexs” who can take comfort in knowing that they should Never Give Up, Never Surrender and that they WILL be evacuated and mended so that in time they can again, where possible, stand up for their beloved Ukraine, is again a huge plus.