Developed by a company called Cardio Command, the TourniCath
consists of a small balloon attached to a pump, When someone receives a
shrapnel or bullet wound to the body, the TourniCath can be inserted
into the wound and inflated, plugging up the hole. The device can be
deployed in 90 seconds, and stops blood loss almost as well as a
tourniquet. A soft coating allows the Tournicath to fit into the
specific shape of different wounds.
However, there are some drawbacks. A misused TourniCath could
over-inflate, expanding the size of the wound. Additionally, if the
device isn't inserted into the chest cavity properly, vital organs
could be crushed when the balloon inflates.
With the military estimating that 80 percent of all deaths on the
battlefield are preventable, a light, easily deployed device like the
TourniCath could find its way into every soldier's kit. But further
testing is needed to iron out some of the problems mentioned above.