Frequently Asked Questions
MAT® Tourniquet
1. Can MAT® be applied to all extremities?
2. Can MAT® be applied with one hand?
3. How fast can MAT® be applied and tightened to stop blood flow?
4. Is complete blood flow occlusion possible with MAT®?
5. How durable is MAT®?
6. Can MAT® be easily packed and carried?
When to Use MAT®
7. When should MAT® be used?
8. Who should use MAT®?
9. Can MAT® be used on children?
Using MAT®
10. What size limb does MAT® accommodate?
11. Can the tightness of MAT® be modulated?
12. How is blood flow modulated with MAT®?
13. Can MAT® be released and reapplied?
MAT® and Safety
MAT® Tourniquet
1. Can MAT® be applied to all extremities?
Yes. The open C-Cuff design of MAT® provides easy application to both arm and legs. Its construction makes MAT® the only tourniquet designed to be easily applied to trapped limbs.
2. Can MAT® be applied with one hand?
Yes. The C-Cuff, secure Buckle, and Turn Key together provide fast, ensure one-handed application. MAT® uses the Mechanical Advantage® ratchet mechanism to ensure the tourniquet does not slip or loosen. It is the only tourniquet available that provides proven and efficacious one-handed operation.
3. How fast can MAT® be applied and tightened to stop blood flow?
Testing has consistently produced complete application and occlusion in under 10 seconds.
4. Is complete blood flow occlusion possible with MAT®?
Yes. A series of tests conducted by both Army and Navy medical teams have shown 100% success with proper application of MAT®. Occlusion in these tests was measured with Doppler, BP and Oximeter sensors.
5. How durable is MAT®?
MAT® has been designed and developed with the highest grade materials, components and manufacturing quality, to military-spec regulations, including integrated mechanism fail-safe redundancies which are not found in any other tourniquet. MAT® has passed rigorous, independent laboratory extreme conditions and performance tests. It has been designed and packaged for a 10 year shelf-life.
6. Can MAT® be easily packed and carried?
Yes. MAT® weighs less than 4oz and comes vacuum packed, making it easy to pack into first aid, medical, and military kit bags.
When to Use MAT®
7. When should MAT® be used?
MAT® can be used to occlude severe blood flow from any limb, including a trapped limb. The C-Cuff, Buckle and Turn Key make one-handed application simple, even while wearing gloves, in extreme environments or while applying MAT® to oneself.
8. Who should use MAT®?
MAT® has been designed for easy use by everyone, in any environment, and can be used in everyday first-aid kits, outdoor adventurer packs, military medic kits, and by emergency services, disaster preparedness teams, and hospitals.
9. Can MAT® be used on children?
The only restriction on use is the diameter of the affected limb. MAT® offers an adjustable fit from 4” diameter to 39” circumference.
Using MAT®
10. What size limb does MAT® accommodate?
MAT® can be used on a wide range of limb sizes — from as small as a 4” diameter forearm to a 39” circumference thigh.
11. Can the compression of MAT® be modulated?
Yes. The Turn Key system provides for easy and safe tightening of the tourniquet in small, controlled increments, making it 100% adjustable for all body types and sizes. To loosen the device, hit the Release Button. Then re-engage the Turn Key to re-tighten.
12. How is blood flow modulated with MAT®?
The Turn Key system can easily be turned back to loosen the Strap in small increments, allowing the user or caregiver ultimate control over the tourniquet’s tightness. In order to improve limb viability while staunching deadly bleeding, the device should be at about 90% tightness. No other tourniquet offers this level of control.
13. Can MAT® be released and reapplied?
Yes. There are two easy and fast ways to release MAT®:
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A. Simply push the Release Button on the side of MAT® to automatically release (usually accompanied by immediate unwinding of the Turn Key mechanism).
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B. The Buckle can be lifted up and off of its hook
MAT® and Safety
14. Can MAT® be used for multiple applications?
Yes. MAT® can be reset by pushing the Release Button and pulling the Strap all the way out to the indicator area marked on the Strap. Note: to prevent cross-contamination, once the device has been used on an injured person, it should be disposed of in the appropriate manner.
