Spring Biased Tourniquet Especially Suited for Use with a Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter

A tourniquet comprising:

• a generally polygon shaped tourniquet upper frame comprising:
• linear tourniquet upper frame elements meeting at an upper apex;
• linear tourniquet side frame elements wherein each linear side frame element of said linear side frame elements meets a linear upper frame element of said linear upper frame elements at an upper side apex;
• linear tourniquet lower frame elements wherein each linear lower frame element of said linear lower frame elements meets one said side linear side frame element at a lower side apex each linear lower frame element of said linear lower frame elements comprises a terminus;
• and
• opposed handles wherein a handle of said opposed handles is attached to each terminus and opposed handles remain free from each other during their entire range of movement.

A method of altering the dilation of a vein in an appendage during a peripherally inserted central venous catheter (PICC) procedure comprising the steps of:

• covering at least the appendage with a sterile surgical drape to establish a sterile barrier prior to inserting PICC into the vein in the appendage through an opening in the surgical drape;
• applying a spring biased tourniquet around the exterior of the surgical drape and around the appendage to dilate the vein by applying spring pressure to the appendage;
• releasing pressure on the vein and the appendage by deflecting the tourniquet against spring force exerted by the spring biased tourniquet without otherwise moving the surgical drape;
• whereby the spring biased tourniquet remains visible on the exterior of the surgical drape during the PICC procedure so that pressure can be applied or released on the appendage and the vein without compromising sterile conditions maintained by the surgical drape.