- The OLAES modular trauma dressing and Israeli Bandage are specifically designed haemorrhage control dressings used to establish and maintain traumatic wound haemostasis in the pre-hospital setting.
- It is a sterile elasticised bandage with a non-adherent pad sewn in one end. The non-adherent pad is placed directly onto the wound and the bandage is fed through a pressure applicator before bandaging in the opposite direction.
- Reverse bandaging causes the pressure applicator to flatten, placing direct pressure on the wound.
- A closure bar at the end of the bandage enables simple and effective securing without the need for pins, tapes or knots.
- Traumatic wounds requiring haemostasis
- Before using the trauma bandage to stop bleeding, pack the wound with hemostatic gauze. This will cause the blood to clot faster and put more pressure on the wound.
- When unrolling the bandage, try not to touch the white sterile absorption pad to keep it as clean as possible before applying it to the wound.
- When dealing with deep cuts or punctures in the chest, most external bleeding will not be life threatening, and internal bleeding requires emergency hospital care.
Head
Pressure bandages can even be used on the head, but a creative wrapping technique is required to secure it. Bandages applied to wounds on the scalp will tend to slip upwards along the curve of the head.
- Apply the non-adherent pad directly to the wound.
- Insert the bandage into the pressure applicator.
- Firmly pull the bandage in the opposite direction, wrapping at least twice around the head.
- Hooking the wrapping leader behind a corner of the pressure applicator, wrap the Israeli bandage under the chin once to keep it in place.
- Loop the Israeli bandage roll behind the top end of the pressure bar to change the wrapping direction.
- Secure the hooking ends into the bandage.
Chest
- In case of open pneumothorax or penetrating chest trauma, utilise the chest seal; if no chest seal is available, the foil of the trauma bandage can be used in its place. Ensure that the sterile side of the packaging is facing the wound. Be careful that the package lies smooth over the wound with no creases or folds; this should be an airtight seal.
- Once the chest wound is sealed, the technique for wrapping the chest is similar to that for the limbs.
Abdomen
Abdominal wounds do not require a great deal of pressure given there is no bone to against which to apply pressure. The purpose of an abdominal dressing is to keep the wound sterile and prevent infection.
- Remove the bandage from the packaging and remove the plastic barrier if not required (the plastic barrier is considered suitable for exposed organs or burns).
- Place the non-adherent absorption pad over the wound, noting that a dry pad that adheres to the wound will burst the formed blood clots when the bandage is removed.
- Wrap the bandage firmly around the torso, bringing the bandage to the front of the body.
- Wrap the bandage, covering the top half of the non-adherent dressing and insert into the pressure applicator.
- Reverse the direction of the bandaging and wrap the bandage to cover the bottom half of the pad.
- Continue wrapping until all edges of the pad are covered.
- Secure the wrapping leader by hooking the closure bar into the previous layer of the bandage.
Limbs
Non-amputation
- Place the pad directly on the wound and wrap the bandage one revolution around the limb.
- Slip the elastic bandage through the slot in the pressure applicator and pull it tight.
- Pull the elastic bandage, forcing the pressure bar to light flat on the pad.
- Continue to wrap the elastic bandage tightly around the patient and over the pressure bar making sure to cover the entire absorption pad.
- Once the absorption pad is completely covered, twist the elastic wrap so that it forms a cord.
- Stick the closure bar under one of the cords with the hooks facing down.
- Twist the closure bar like a tourniquet windlass to increase the pressure on the wound.
- When the bleeding is controlled, hook the closure bar to the bandage to secure it in place.
Amputation
- Remove the bandage from the packaging and remove the plastic barrier if not required.
- Place the stump of the amputated limb into the centre of the non-adherent dressing and encase it in the bandage.
- Wrap the bandage around the limb and insert the bandage into the pressure applicator.
- Pull the bandage firmly in the opposite direction and continue bandaging, covering all edges of the non-adherent pad.
- Leave 2-3 unwrapped revolutions of the wrapping leader.
- Twist the unwrapped elastic bandage into a cord and wrap around the limb.
- Insert the closure bar between the wrapped cords and rotate to effect (akin to the windlass of a tourniquet).
- Secure the wrapping leader with the hooks of the closure bar.
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