- Esmarch bandage
Esmarch bandage (also known as Esmarch's bandage for surgical haemostasis or Esmarch's tourniquet) in its modern form is a narrow hard rubber
tourniquet with a chainfastener that is used to control bleeding by applying it around a limb in such a way thatblood is expelled from it [http://www.mercksource.com/pp/us/cns/cns_hl_dorlands.jspzQzpgzEzzSzppdocszSzuszSzcommonzSzdorlandszSzdorlandzSzdmd_b_03zPzhtm#12176973 "Esmarch bandage" entry in "Dorlands Medical Dictionary"] . This prevents the flow of blood to or from thedistal area, making it easier to operate. The limb is often elevated as the elastic pressure is applied.The original version was designed by
Friedrich von Esmarch , professor of surgery at theUniversity of Kiel ,Germany , and is generally used inbattlefield medicine . Esmarch himself had beenSurgeon General to the German army during theFranco-German War . It consisted of a three-sided piece of linen or cotton, the base measuring 4 feet and the sides 2 feet 10 inches. It could be used folded or open, and applied in thirty-two different ways. An improved form was devised byBernhard von Langenbeck later on.See also
*
Tourniquet
*Amputation
*Battlefield medicine References
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