Bleeding, Haemostasis, and Tourniquets

The control of bleeding is best achieved by elevation and focal pressure, not by the application of a tourniquet. Complete haemostasis, accomplished progressively during treatment, is a specific goal, because achieving it means that the final dressing tension no longer needs to be haemostatic. Only with total haemostasis can bandage tension be reduced sufficiently to maintain maximum perfusion of tissue during the critical period of reactive swelling.