Review: TQ Dnipro – DNIPRO Gen 2 Tourniquet

Introduction

The DNIPRO GEN 2 is a second-generation hemostatic tourniquet designed to stop life-threatening bleeding in both upper and lower extremities. It is made by the Ukrainian company TQ Dnipro as a result of the massive demand for Tourniquets, because of the war in Ukraine.

When looking at the design, it is clear that the C-A-T Tourniquet by North American Rescue was the main inspiration for the DNIPRO Gen 2. Mainly because it is a proven design, but also because of its wide-spread use in the war. When looking closely one can see that the Ukrainian company made several upgrades and changes to the C-A-T design by NAR.

Overview:

Buckle with notches: Ensures secure fixation of the tape, made from metal components to withstand physical stress.
External and Internal webbing: constructed from synthetic fiber, providing a durable belt.
Stabilization plate with windlass clip: Made from durable yet flexible polymer, it allows secure attachment of the windlass rod.
Velcro strap: secures the sling and windlass rod in the final position, and includes a space to record the time of application.
Sling with self-adhering band: Adjustable to fit a wide range of limb sizes, ensuring the sling stays in place.
Universal Velcro: Effective even in wet, icy, or contaminated conditions (bio and technical fluids, soil, grass, etc.).
Time Marker: Velcro strap to record the time the tourniquet was applied.

Specs:

Length (opened): 94 cm
Width: 4 cm
Width of the inner strap: 25 mm
Windlass Rod length: 150 mm
Weight: 110 g
Shelf life: 3 years from the date of manufacture.
Color: black

The DNIPRO GEN 2 Tourniquet is designed with a robust metal routing buckle with notches to ensure an easy fixation of the sling. This high-strength metal component is designed to withstand extreme physical stress, providing the needed reliability in emergency situations. It is also curved to meet the anatomy of the limps as well as to guarantee a better locking effect. The side notches also provide a firm fit in belts and pouches.

The tourniquet incorporates both external and internal synthetic fiber straps to form a strong belt (it has a free moving internal band). In addition, the stabilization plate with the windlass clip is made of durable polymer and allows for secure attachment of the tourniquet.

If you take a closer look at the windlass clip, you will notice the slightly angled opening for the rod, making it easier to secure.

To ensure maximum functionality and ease of use, the DNIPRO GEN 2 features a Velcro strap that secures the sling and windlass rod in their final positions, while providing a designated area for recording the time of application. The strap has a small hole to make it easier to find the end and to have a better grip.

This sling with its self-adhering band fits a wide range of limb sizes and ensures that the sling stays securely in place. It features a universal hook-and-loop closure that remains effective in adverse conditions such as wet, icy or contaminated environments.

Just like the routing buckle, the windlass rod is made of metal, thus providing more than enough strength during use. The strap between the buckle and the stabilization plate is also slightly padded to protect skin and muscles during application of the tourniquet. It is also a bit longer in order to not pinch the skin in between.

Overall the feel of the materials used and the tourniquet itself is high quality. One can immediately tell that the product is no cheap far east production item. In use on a dummy the DNIPRO Gen 2 felt easy to manipulate and it only took 2 turns of the windlass to stop bleeding. NOTE: this was done in a one-time exercise and a training dummy is only a dummy – depending on the physique of the patient, actual use can vary.

Conclusion

While the DNIPRO Gen 2 is a quite obvious clone of the C-A-T by NAR, it features several improvements in strength (metal routing buckle and windlass rod) as well as in the design itself. The angled windlass clip eases the securing process, while maintaining the locking capabilities. Improvements in comfort for the patient have also been implemented, by adding padding and preventing areas where skin might be pinched.

During conversations with first responders and colleagues who used the DNIPRO Gen 2 during “Stop the bleed” courses, the consensus was that the Tourniquet is a „C-A-T Gen 8“ in disguise. The inner webbing might feel a bit more flexible than that of the C-A-T.

That being said, at the moment of writing this article, the DNIPRO Gen 2 TQ was still waiting to be put on the TCCC list of recommended Tourniquets. At the same time it was attributed a NATO Stock Number (NSN-6515-61-017-6778) and was added to the EUDAMED – European Database on Medical Devices under the Basic UDI-DI / EUDAMED DI: 0482026114TQDniproJG. You can learn more about their certificates on their homepage.

Many thanks to Perunika, for making this article possible. You can get the DNIPRO Gen 2 at their site.

Also many thanks to the guys from Critical Knowledge for letting me use their dummy to try the Tourniquet out!

Thank you for reading!