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Catastrophic external haemorrhage — DIPIMC MCQ

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EasyPre-Hospital TraumaCatastrophic external haemorrhageDIPIMCDipIMC

A 28-year-old motorcyclist has struck a crash barrier at speed. He is conscious and shouting in pain. There is pulsatile bright-red bleeding from a deep wound to the medial right thigh and a spreading pool of blood beneath him. Direct pressure with a field dressing has failed to control it.

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

Reveal the answer and explanation

Correct answer: A — Apply an arterial tourniquet proximal to the wound and tighten until the bleeding stops.

Catastrophic external haemorrhage takes priority in the modified primary survey, and an arterial tourniquet placed proximal to a limb wound that has failed direct pressure is the fastest way to achieve control. Fluids and a pelvic binder do not address the immediate exsanguinating threat from the limb. Once applied, the tourniquet time is documented and the device is not loosened until bleeding is definitively controlled.

Reference: JRCALC Clinical Guidelines