doi:10.1186/s12873-023-00871-1engYánez Benítez, CarlosLorente-Aznar, TeófiloLabaka, IdurreRibeiro Jr, Marcelo A. F.Viteri, YosuMorishita, KojiBaselga, MartaGüemes, AntonioTourniquet self-application assessment in cold weather conditionsART-2023-145210Background: Our study aimed to assess the ability of nonmedical civilians to self-apply extremity tourniquets in cold weather conditions while wearing insulating technical clothing after receiving basic training. Methods: A field study was conducted among 37 voluntary participants of an expedition party to the Spanish Antarctic base. The researchers assessed the participant’s ability to self-apply five commercial extremity tourniquets (CAT, OMNA, RMT, SWAT-T, and RATS) over cold-weather clothing and their achieved effectiveness for vascular occlusion. Upper extremity self-application was performed with a single-handed technique (OHT), and lower extremity applying a two-handed technique (THT). Perceptions of self-application ease mean values ± standard deviation (SD) were compared by applying a 5% statistical significance threshold. Frequency count determined tourniquet preference. Results: All the tested ETs, except the SWAT-T, were properly self-applied with an OHT, resulting in effective vascular occlusion in the upper extremity. The five devices tested were self-applied correctly in the lower extremities using THT. The ratcheting marine-designed OMNA ranked the highest for application easiness on both the upper and lower extremities, and the windlass CAT model was the preferred device by most participants. Conclusions: Civilian extremity tourniquet self-application on both upper and lower extremities can be accomplished in cold weather conditions despite using cold-weather gloves and technical clothing after receiving brief training. The ratcheting marine-designed OMNA ranked the highest for application ease, and the windlass CAT model was the preferred device.2023http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/16266110.1186/s12873-023-00871-1http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/162661oai:zaguan.unizar.es:162661BMC Emergency Medicine 23 (2023), 101 [8 pp.]byhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.esinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess