The Evolution of KEP's Free-Band® Tourniquets

Made of non-latex material that is safe for latex sensitivities, our Free-Band® Tourniquets are the perfect replacement for latex tourniquets.

Our proprietary blend of soft thermoplastics is a reliable and highly durable material – great for use in doctor offices, blood banks, hospitals, reference labs, medical kits and beyond.

Meeting the Demands of the Medical Industry

Our Free-Band® Tourniquet sets meet strict biocompatibility standards in the medical industry and are designed to ensure no cross-contamination between patients.

Unlike latex tourniquets which aren’t safe for individuals with latex sensitivities, our blend of thermoplastics causes no such allergic reactions.

They are designed as a single-use disposable product to ensure no cross-contamination between patients. Plus, we offer notch-cut tourniquets on reels for quick and easy dispensing.

What is a tourniquet?

A tourniquet is a constricting or compressing device that is used to control arterial and venous blood flow to a portion of an extremity for a period of time.

What are tourniquets used for?

One use of tourniquets is for controlling traumatic bleeding in emergency situations, like in the event of a car accident, so that medical attention can be given to the individual before they bleed out before or during transport to a care facility.

Tourniquets are in the first-aid kits of first-responders across the country who are helping to save lives.

Tourniquets are also used in the hospitals, doctors’ offices, blood banks and reference labs on a daily basis to draw blood and perform necessary tests.

Tourniquets are used for these tasks because they restrict blood return to the heart causing the veins to be more pronounced which makes it easier for the medical professional to see, feel and stick.

A History of Evolving Tourniquets

Tourniquets have a long history of use. While the tourniquets that the Romans used to control bleeding, especially during amputations, were made of thin strips of bronze and leather, these useful devices have come a long way since.

By the 18^th century, soldiers were using “a garter, or a piece of rope-yarn” as a tourniquet to carry with them into battle. In 1785 Sir Gilbert Blane advocated the issue of a tourniquet to each man in battle; “It frequently happens that men bleed to death before assistance can be procured, or lose so much blood as not to be able to go through an operation. In order to prevent this, it has been proposed, and on some occasions practiced, to make each man carry about him a garter, or piece of rope yarn, in order to bind up a limb in case of profuse bleeding.”

It was nearly one hundred years later, in 1873, when Friedrich von Esmarch found a solution that performed better than it’s earlier predecessors made of cloth and other materials that tore, could untwist, and supplied uneven pressures to the limb.

Esmarch developed a rubber bandage that would both control bleeding and exsanguinate. Exsanguinate means to drain blood from an individual. While bleeding can obscure the working area during surgeries, exsanguination is sometimes necessary to enable the surgeons to have better visibility and higher success rates in the operating room. This device is known as Esmarch’s Tourniquet.

While more advanced than earlier tourniquets, the original rubber tourniquets were narrow but over the width of a finger which made them harder to control even pressure to the extremities than modern tourniquets, often resulting in injury and damage.

Free-Band® Tourniquets for Modern Medical Use

Available in 1″ and .75″ wide, our Free-Band® Tourniquets use the strength and elasticity of thermoplastics to provide even pressure to patients’ extremities and, when used properly, restrict blood flow without pinching and causing nerve damage.

Manufactured without natural rubber latex, Free-Band® Tourniquets are the choice of doctors’ offices, blood banks, reference labs and more because they are great for people with latex sensitivities.

Our Free-Band® Tourniquets are available in a range of colors, sizes and packaging options. With extensive color matching capabilities, including fluorescents and pearlescent, we can provide nearly any color.

Need custom packaging? We’ve got you covered, including folded & banded and rolled & banded. We also offer private labeling. Contact us today for more information about our Free-Band non-latex tourniquets or if you’re interested in placing an order!