The SAM Sling is a force-controlled circumferential pelvic belt designed to provide safe and effective reduction and stabilization of open-book pelvic fractures. Pelvic ring fractures are devastating injuries, accompanied by extensive internal bleeding that can often be fatal. Since the mid-Nineteenth Century, standard first-aid protocol has been to wrap a bedsheet or belt around the subject's hips, cinch it tight, and hope for the best. It's a technique that works, even for the worst type of pelvic fractures, known as open-book fractures because the pelvic ring has sprung open, like the pages of a book. Compression "closes the book", reduces pain, slows bleeding, and promotes clot formation as the patient is transported to an emergency department.

The problem with bed sheets and belts is that they're an extremely inexact methodology. Not only is there no control over how tightly the sheet is cinched, but until development began on the SAM Sling, nobody even knew how tightly it should be cinched or exactly where on the body it should be placed. With pelvic ring fractures, too much compression force shifts the broken ends of bones and causes additional damage - too little allows bleeding to continue.

In 2002, researchers at a leading hospital determined that the optimum safe pressure for closing unstable open-book fractures falls in a range centered on approximately 150 Newtons, or 33 pounds. That allowed the creation of the SAM Sling's patented "autostop" buckle, which has spring-loaded prongs that lock the buckle in place when the right amount of force is applied. Not only is there no guesswork needed, the autostop buckle simply won't allow the belt to be over-tightened.

Important Warnings
MRI Information
Based on in vitro testing, the SAM Sling will not present a hazard or risk to a patient undergoing an MRI procedure using an MR system operating at 3-Tesla or less. The SAM Sling contains ferromagnetic springs in the buckle. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the SAM Sling is firmly applied to the patient prior to entry into the MRI environment (as stated in the labeling for this device). Accordingly, there will be no hazard or risk to a patient undergoing an MRI procedure. The SAM Sling should not be removed from the patient while in the MR system or in the MR system room.

-This product is not recommended for use on children.

REFERENCE
SAM Medical Products, http://www.sammedical.com