Pressure controlled Esmarch bandage used as a tourniquet

The objective of this paper is to investigate the manual wrapping technique s of Esmarch bandages used as tourniquets by physicians and to study the co ntrollability of their induced pressure. The properties of the Esmarch band age were first tested using two cylinders to allow uniform stretching of th e bandage and to control the elastic exercusion and pressure reading. The p ressure was measured using a load cell and a DPSI electronic strain/stress/ pressure indicator device. The placement of the load cell sensor was found to yield constant values when measured along the lateral direction normal t o the tension directional field of the cylinder. The results also show that the pressure increases at a rate 3 to 4 times the initial pressure when th e bandage is stretched after each wrap rather than over the total length in itially. The measurements over a plaster foot showed different pressure rea dings but exhibited a linear relationship in all three wraps performed. The method also shows a linear relationship between the elastic deformation an d the number of wraps necessary to achieve a certain degree of mmHg.