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Old 03-06-2018, 09:07   #14
Surgicalcric
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Join Date: Jan 2004
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There is so much wrong with so many of these posts I don’t where to start...

Full disclosure, I work for the US distributor of the CAT, North American Rescue. That said, I have used quite a few different TQs operationally including the two of those mentioned here. The CAT was also the TQ that saved my life. That doesn’t mean I’m numb to its problems.

The considerables, in no specific order, when it comes to prehospital TQs are: it must be portable; it must occlude arterial blood flow reliably (meaning with every application); it must be applicable singlehanded under duress, meaning after loss of mental and physical dexterity; and it MUST be safe for use.

The Recon Medical TQ is a Chinese knockoff of the CAT and violates several patents Composite resources holds for Gen 3-7 CATs. The windless is metal but the rivet placed through it significantly weakens it to the point of failure, consistently. We have boxes of them that are sent to NAR with complaints from the idiots who buy them. It uses the same “style” triglide as the CAT but also made from a significantly weaker polymer than the CAT. It’s application mirrors that of the CAT negating the idea that it’s easiest to apply. If you want to risk your life over a couple dollars be my guest but tell your family not to send the complaint this way when it fails to function.

Of the items I note above, the RAT fails the safe test time and again. The pressure it exerts on the tissue underlying its application far exceeds the maximum allowable to be considered safe. This is due to the width of the shock cord used. Guys if we could get away with making a safe AND effective TQ using a more narrow band, thereby increasing the chances a COP would carry it both Composite Resources and TAC-Med Solutions would both be doing so. There is a reason Tac Med went from a 1” to a 1-1/2” wife band with their Gen-2 SOFTT. Regardless of how many “wraps” you get on the RAT, there will be some space between the wraps thus negating the idea that it’s wide enough to be safe. For those who still want to argue it’s ability to stop arterial blood flow I say this, I can stop arterial bleeding with a stick and piano wire but it doesn’t mean I should do so when there are safe alternatives that are as portable - there is no reasons to use this thing.

I won’t defend the CAT — the lives saved says more than I could. It beats out the SOFTT in CoTCCC and Independant studies in one area only, ease of application. Otherwise, there is little difference in the two.

TQs are too important to accept anecdotal info or classroom theory on. Educate yourself. http://https://watermark.silverchair...7YFxrSEKVpDBfw

Guys, if you don’t want to buy the CAT then please buy the SOFTT. I’d not carry or use the RAT and darned sure wouldn’t buy a knockoff made in China.
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Last edited by Surgicalcric; 03-06-2018 at 09:12.
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