Should LOTS® be elevated after application to control bleeding?
A.
Depends on protocols... Any elevation of an injured extremity may be useful, and can be done when using a LOTS® splint,
however the advantages gained by elevation are minimal at best, as you
would have to raise the extremity above the level of the heart to be
effective. Integrating LOTS® pneumatics or applying additional manual external pressure would be more effective, safer and easier on your patient. By means of the enveloping framework's isokinetic compression straps, the
LOTS® splint manually applies enough circumferential pressure to control most bleeding. Additional inflation of the PneumoVac™ system can apply external pressures up to 30 mm hg. The PneumoVac™ control valve
assembly is designed to safeguard patients, exhausting air at pressures
greater than 30 mm hg. In rare instances where more external circumferential pressure is required, manual re-tensioning of the isokinetic compression straps will accomplish this.
Remember when using vacuum (suction)
principles circumferential pressures decrease, and do not effectively control bleeding. When off-axis vacuum immobilization is required, the enveloping framework's isokinetic compression straps are used to apply the necessary external pressure while PneumoVac™ Framesheet™ provides the posterior and medial/lateral splint off-axis rigidity.
