Medical technology firm RevMedx came up with a device that can plug up shrapnel and gunshot wounds for the U.S. military.
Researchers created XStat, an injection containing sponge discs to plug a bleeding wound. The sponges are treated with an anti-hemorrhaging solution and expand 10 times in size within seconds. The sponges provide compression to stop the bleeding and plug up the wound. Instead of using foams to squirt through punctured tires, a sponge plugs up the hole of the wound.
Traditionally, wounds are covered with gauze but this method is not cleared by the FDA. It is very imprecise, painful and ineffective that field medics need to repeat the excruciating process. Tourniquets are effective in treating injuries to the extremities but a different method is needed to effectively treat wounds in the shoulder or pelvis.
"Every drop of blood on the battlefield is precious. The faster you can stop the bleeding, the higher the probability you can save a guy's life," Former Special Forces medic and RevMedx's strategic development director John Steinbaugh said. A few minutes can make a difference when a person is between life and death. Military medics are looking for a device that can easily do the trick. XStat instantly stops the bleeding and it could be a revolutionary tool in the battlefield.
However, XStat could not be used in the pleural cavity, the thorax, the abdomen, the mediastinum, the sacral space above the inguinal ligament, the retroperitoneal space and the tissues above the clavicle. Another problem in the XStat design is removing the discs for the injury.
Currently, forceps will be used to remove each sponge. RevMedx said it is now working on biodegradable materials which could just be left inside the body. The company could also add a string to the discs so the string could be easily pulled out.
Meanwhile, blue, radiopaque threads are placed in the sponges to allow identification of strays stuck in the wound through x-rays. This is the best solution until developments are introduced to the market.
The U.S. FDA approved XStat in April 2014 and RevMedx is about to hand it over to the medics. The company expects to supply a limited XStat quantity to the U.S. military this year, hoping that the product will expand its market including law enforcement officers, paramedics and other clients in the future.
