Junctional Emergency Treatment Tool™ (JETT®)

North American Rescue — Junctional Tourniquet

An FDA-cleared mechanical junctional tourniquet that occludes blood flow to both lower extremities at once — two adjustable compression pads targeting the common femoral arteries below the inguinal ligament, where a limb tourniquet can't reach.

Junctional hemorrhage — bleeding at the groin and pelvis where the limb meets the torso — accounts for roughly 19% of potentially survivable battlefield deaths. The common femoral artery exits the pelvis beneath the inguinal ligament, in a spot a circumferential limb tourniquet simply cannot reach.

What controls bleeding a limb tourniquet can't reach?

The JETT is a mechanical junctional tourniquet built for that zone. A belt assembly carries two individually adjustable trapezoidal compression pads that apply direct pressure over the common femoral arteries below the inguinal ligament — unilateral or bilateral. It deploys pre-assembled and pre-staged for both lower extremities, so a responder needs no extra setup to treat bilateral injury. Developed against U.S. Army Combat Casualty Care Research Program requirements; FDA 510(k) cleared; made in the USA.

Doctrine Status — Read This Before You Buy

TCCC directs the application of a junctional tourniquet when the bleeding site is amenable to one. It does not name a device. In its 2021 guideline update the CoTCCC removed the “CoTCCC-Recommended” designation from junctional tourniquets entirely, stating that no specific products are recommended and that end users should select any FDA-approved device indicated for junctional hemorrhage control. That position still stands. Any vendor — including us — who tells you a junctional tourniquet is “CoTCCC-recommended” is quoting a designation that has not existed for five years. Device selection here is a unit and medical-director decision, made on evidence, training burden, and sustainment — not on a committee endorsement.

Evidence

In cadaveric testing with the common femoral artery cannulated to physiologic pressures, the JETT achieved bilateral common femoral occlusion in as little as 10 seconds, with immediate cessation of flow on application and hemostasis maintained at systemic pressures above 110 mmHg (Gates et al., 2014). Because it compresses the proximal artery before it branches, testing found less potential for vascular damage or neuropraxia than circumferential limb tourniquets. Note the tier: this is a cadaveric model, not a human outcome trial. Read it as evidence of mechanism and application speed — not as proof of a survival benefit.

Control the Junction.

Genuine North American Rescue, shipped from a clinician-founded, veteran-led team.

When to Deploy Junctional Emergency Treatment Tool™ (JETT®)

• High-thigh and inguinal hemorrhage control: The JETT is the primary tool for junctional wounds — groin, upper thigh, and inguinal zone injuries where a standard limb tourniquet anatomically cannot reach.
• Bilateral lower-extremity hemorrhage: Two independently adjustable compression pads allow simultaneous bilateral femoral artery occlusion — a single deployment covers both legs.
• IED blast casualty management: Bilateral lower-extremity amputations are a common IED pattern; the JETT addresses both limbs simultaneously, reducing time-to-hemorrhage-control in the highest-mortality injury pattern.
• Prolonged Field Care (PFC) junctional management: In extended-care scenarios where MEDEVAC is delayed, the JETT provides maintained junctional occlusion that can be monitored and adjusted.
• Mass casualty junctional triage: Pre-staged as an external carry item on a medic bag, the JETT is immediately accessible when a junctional casualty presents in a multi-patient scenario.

How Junctional Emergency Treatment Tool™ (JETT®) Compares

JETT vs. SAM Junctional Tourniquet (SJT): Both are FDA-cleared junctional TQs; neither carries a CoTCCC product recommendation, because none exists for this device class. The JETT uses a mechanical windlass mechanism pre-staged for bilateral use; the SJT uses a pneumatic bladder inflation system. Device selection often reflects individual medic preference and unit standardization — both have preclinical effectiveness data behind them.

JETT vs. Abdominal Aortic Junctional Tourniquet (AAJT): The AAJT applies pressure above the inguinal ligament to occlude the distal aorta — effective for high bilateral junctional wounds. The JETT targets the common femoral arteries below the inguinal ligament. Both are FDA-cleared devices addressing different zones of junctional injury; choose on wound location, not on designation.

JETT vs. combat pelvic wound packing: Wound packing is effective for discrete, accessible junctional wounds. The JETT is indicated where direct wound access is limited or the wound pattern is diffuse — it provides external vascular occlusion without requiring wound access.

JETT vs. C-A-T Tourniquet for high-thigh wounds: A C-A-T can treat mid-thigh and below; it cannot achieve effective occlusion in the proximal thigh or groin. The JETT was developed to address exactly the zone where the C-A-T fails.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is the JETT CoTCCC-recommended?

A: No — and neither is any other junctional tourniquet. In its 2021 guideline update the CoTCCC removed the “CoTCCC-Recommended” designation from junctional tourniquets as a class, stating that no specific products are recommended and that end users should select any FDA-approved device indicated for junctional hemorrhage control. That remains the position in the current guidelines. TCCC still directs applying a junctional tourniquet when the bleeding site is amenable to one — the committee simply does not name the device. The JETT is FDA 510(k) cleared (K123194) and carries NSN 6515-01-616-5841. If a vendor tells you a junctional tourniquet is CoTCCC-recommended, they are quoting a designation that was retired five years ago.

Q: What training is required to use the JETT?

A: TCCC or equivalent training with specific JETT familiarization is required. Application requires correct identification of the femoral artery location and proper pad positioning — improper placement does not achieve occlusion. NAR provides training resources.

Q: Is the JETT FDA cleared?

A: Yes. The JETT is FDA 510(k) cleared. It was developed against U.S. Army Combat Casualty Care Research Program requirements and meets military and civilian regulatory standards.

Q: What is the NSN for the JETT?

A: The JETT is fielded under multiple DoD contracts. Contact MED-TAC International for current NSN, DLA, and GSA procurement information for unit-level or bulk orders.

Q: Can the JETT be used on pediatric casualties?

A: The JETT is designed and validated for adult use. Pediatric junctional hemorrhage management requires separate clinical guidance — consult your unit's medical officer for pediatric casualty protocols.