Thanks Richard and Team Sergeant for permission to post this product announcement. I run R&D for our company and we just shipped our first Junctional Emergency Treatment Tool (JETT) having achieved our FDA 510(K) Clearance. We have, in partnership with the University of Texas,conducting research into the the best methods to address junctional hemorrhage.
Junctional Hemorrhage is the new leading cause of preventable combat death.
The successful and aggressive use of tourniquets on the battlefield and the absence of optimized tools to address inguinal injury has recently shifted the focus of the #1 cause of preventable combat death from extremity bleeding to junctional hemorrhaging. Recent data indicates that high extremity wounds in the thigh/groin accounts for up to 20% of preventable combat deaths on the modern battlefield. Over the past two years the military has been working in conjunction with the medical device industry to develop mechanical and pneumatic devices that provide new treatment options for this kind of injury. While these efforts have been promising, the recent rise in bilateral amputations from IED blasts in theatre imposes even greater demands on point of wounding care.
This new “Signature Wound” - two legs blown off at the knee or higher, accompanied by damage to the groin and pelvic region - requires treatment beyond the capabilities of the traditional tourniquet. Injury to the femoral artery demands immediate attention if a casualty has any hope of survival.
The movie, “Black Hawk Down” based on the battle in Mogadishu, Somalia in 1993 depicted the account of CPL Jamie Smith, who was shot in the upper thigh and suffered a severed femoral artery and vein from a bullet. The wound was too high for a tourniquet and other attempts to control the bleeding were not successful. The medic attempted a blunt dissection in order to gain access to the blood vessel and clamp the artery. Unfortunately, the artery had retracted into the pelvic region and bleeding continued without any available interventions, resulting in the death of CPL Jamie Smith later that night.
The above example (the event not the film) was one of the catalysts for research into new technologies to save our warriors lives. The original focus was to address the lack of an effective tourniquet. Junctional hemorrhage was a bigger challenge. Over the last two years companies have been working in conjunction with the military to develop mechanical and pneumatic devices that address Junctional hemorrhaging. While these efforts have been successful at providing new options to medical providers, there is great room for improvement.
Pneumatic devices have been demonstrated to be problematic in the military prehospital environment (point of injury) for a variety of reasons but most notable is the challenge of the effect that changing atmospheric pressure has on the air bladder as the patient is moved from mountaintops by helicopters (filled in a low pressure atmosphere and moved to a high pressure atmosphere, the bladder may contract and reduce pressure on the injury–allowing bleeding to reoccur). Any pneumatic device will require constant monitoring to ensure that the proper pressure is maintained and will need to be extremely ruggedized to survive the battlefield. These are some of the reasons why tactical providers prefer a mechanical device on the battlefield.
We designed our "JETT" with the capability of treating bilateral injuries, be easily applied, withstand the rigors of the tactical environment and provide a compact, lightweight solution to junctional hemorrhage. We have taken into account that a casualty will likely require several movements before they reach a fixed medical facility. Therefore, the JETT employs a circumferential buttocks pad (secures the device to the patient), two pressure pads (allows for individual or bilateral activation, based on the patients injuries) and locking devices (ensures that vibrations or bumps to the windlass will not reduce the pressure during movement).
- Compact, lightweight & ruggedized for use in the tactical environment
- Pre-assembled, Ready-to-use & Easy-to-apply at or near the point of injury
- Simultaneous Occlusion of blood flow to both lower limbs that does not impede Respiration
- 2 Compression Pads, pre-positioned and individually adjustable, allow for individual or bilateral activation, based on the patient’s injuries. Note: When we conducted our studies the shape we designed (Trapezoidal) is more stable and fits into the inguinal crease better
- Cleared for 510(k) by the FDA
http://www.medgadget.com/2013/01/jet...do-wvideo.html
Stay Safe.
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