military antishock trousers (MAST) [L, ante, opposed; Fr, choc + Gael, triubhas, trews] , a garment designed to produce pressure on the lower part of the body, thereby preventing the pooling of blood in the legs and abdomen. The trousers are used to combat shock and stabilize fractures, promote hemostasis, increase peripheral vascular resistance, and permit autotransfusion of small amounts of blood. They are now rarely used. Also called medical antishock trousers, pneumatic antishock garment. See shock trousers.
