Tourniquet Time Limits: Understanding Safe Usage and Duration

It is generally recommended that a tourniquet should not be left in place for more than 2 hours. After 2 hours, the tissues below the tourniquet may start to suffer from a lack of blood flow, which can lead to serious complications. If a tourniquet must be left in place for longer than 2 hours, it should be loosened and reapplied every 30-45 minutes to allow some blood flow to the tissues below.