TissueDB/Simulators/Synthetic Tourniquet Training Model (Souza Lima)
General Information
The Synthetic Tourniquet Training Model is a low-cost, mannequin-based bleeding-control simulator for tourniquet-application training. A commercial ghost-mannequin leg is coated with an ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) skin layer over an upholstery-foam layer simulating the muscle and subcutaneous fat, with 1 metre of rubber tubing as a blood vessel. A manual air pump drives a red paint-and-water mixture (simulated blood) from a reservoir through serum-drip flow-control equipment into the tubing, producing visible gushing at a simulated wound; correct application of a Combat Application Tourniquet® (CAT®) between 5 cm and 7 cm proximal to the wound stops the bleeding.[1]
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| General Information | Designed for prehospital external-haemorrhage-control training in low- and middle-income settings where low-cost equipment matters.[1] |
| Features and Basic Operation | The bleeding rate is adjustable through the serum-drip (IV) flow-control equipment, so the instructor can set the gushing rate. Correct Combat Application Tourniquet® (CAT®) placement between 5 cm and 7 cm proximal to the wound stops the simulated flow; placement outside that window does not, which is the pass/fail training endpoint.[1] |
| Current Development Status | Built and tested for acceptability and perceived educational value; no construct-validity or clinical-transfer study reported.[1] |
| Estimated Build Time and Cost | US$ 11.50 (R$ 49.60)[1] |
| Specialized Tools and Equipment | Not stated in source |
| Version | Not stated in source |
| Development Team Contact Information | Daniel Souza Lima and colleagues, League of Trauma, Emergency, and Intensive Medicine, Fortaleza University, Brazil.[1] |
Tissues
| Tissue | Qty | Material | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skin | 1 sheet (60 × 40 cm) | EVA sheet | — | Ethylene-vinyl acetate sheet coating the leg exterior to simulate the skin layer.[1] |
| Subcutaneous fat | 50 cm (shared) | Upholstery foam | — | Part of the single 50 cm upholstery-foam fill of the leg interior; the paper does not differentiate the subcutaneous-fat and muscle layers.[1] |
| Muscle | 50 cm (shared) | Upholstery foam | — | Same 50 cm upholstery-foam fill as the subcutaneous-fat layer; simulates the musculature.[1] |
| Blood vessel | 1 m | Latex rubber tubing | — | Threaded through the wound and the two proximal holes (5 cm and 7 cm) so that correct CAT® placement occludes the simulated flow.[1] |
| Blood | 250 mL paint + water | Red school paint and water mixture | — | Mixed to a near-blood consistency; gushes at the simulated wound when the air pump is active.[1] |
Structural Parts
| Part Name | Qty | Material | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ghost-mannequin leg | 1 | Commercial ghost-mannequin leg | — | Anatomical support; modified with one anterior wound and two proximal holes (5 cm and 7 cm from the wound).[1] |
| Ghost-mannequin arm | 1 | Commercial ghost-mannequin arm | — | Listed among the model materials in the abstract; the Methods build out only the leg.[1] |
| Plastic saline reservoir | 1 | Plastic saline container | — | Holds the paint-and-water mixture; modified with an air-pump intake port and a serum-drip outflow port.[1] |
| Manual air pump | 1 | Simple manual plastic air pump | — | Propels the mixture from the reservoir through the serum line into the rubber tubing.[1] |
| Serum / IV drip equipment | 1 | Serum (IV) equipment | — | Controls blood-flow volume and pressure between the reservoir and the rubber tubing.[1] |
Build Instructions
Phase 1: Anatomical preparation
- Cut an anterior opening in the plastic mannequin leg to simulate a penetrating wound with vascular lesion.[1]
- Cut two additional holes 5 cm and 7 cm proximal to the wound.[1]
- Pass a 1-metre length of rubber tubing through the leg: enter at the simulated wound, exit at the 7 cm hole, re-enter at the 5 cm hole, and position the tubing end at the lesion opening.[1]
Phase 2: Soft-tissue substrate
- Fill the leg interior with 50 cm of upholstery foam to simulate the musculature and subcutaneous-fat layers.[1]
- Coat the leg exterior with a 60 × 40 cm EVA sheet to simulate the skin layer.[1]
Phase 3: Simulated-fluid reservoir and propulsion
- Mix 250 mL of red school paint with water until the mixture reaches a near-blood consistency.[1]
- Store the mixture in a plastic saline reservoir modified with an air-pump intake port and a serum-drip outflow port.[1]
- Connect the serum-drip outflow line to the rubber tubing inside the leg.[1]
Phase 4: Verification
- Activate the air pump; visible gushing should appear at the simulated injury site, verifying that the propulsion and fluid-delivery chain is intact.[1]
- Apply a Combat Application Tourniquet® (CAT®) between 5 cm and 7 cm proximal to the wound. Correct application stops the simulated gushing; this is the simulator's pass/fail training endpoint.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 Souza Lima D, Almeida YADS, Cid DMC, Cardoso LC, Braga CS, Regis FGL. Low-cost synthetic tourniquet training model. Rev Col Bras Cir. 2019;46(6):e20192324. DOI 10.1590/0100-6991e-20192324. PMID 31967244.
- ↑ Advanced Trauma Life Support Students Manual. 10th ed. Chicago, IL: American College of Surgeons; 2018.
- ↑ National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians. Prehospital Trauma Life Support. 9th ed. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning; 2018.
| Authors | Arturopelayo |
|---|---|
| License | CC-BY-SA-4.0 |
| Cite as | Arturopelayo (2026). "TissueDB/Simulators/Synthetic Tourniquet Training Model (Souza Lima)". Appropedia. Retrieved June 4, 2026. |