According to statistics from wars, most of the soldiers in modern battlefields die primarily due to excessive bleeding caused by a gunshot. RevMedx is a new startup which has created a new device to address this problem. This device can stop bleeding from gunshot wounds in 15 seconds.
Currently, when a soldier is bleeding on the battlefield, the medic has to insert and pack gauze directly into the wound. This is done so that the gauze would forcefully stop the flow of blood but it is still a very painful procedure. In many cases, gauze fails to stop the bleeding and the wounded soldier dies of hemorrhage.
Former U.S. Army Special Operations media John Steinbaugh decided that there must be a better alternative. So when he retired in 2012, he joined RevMedx, a startup based in Oregon which aims to create a better solution to stop bleeding.
RevMedx team analyzed a number of alternatives and finally decided that specially coated sponges can be very effective in doing the job in question. In fact, these sponges are so quick as to stop serious wound bleeding within 15 seconds! However, these sponges have to be harmless, completely sterile and expandable so that they can be injected into the body easily.
The startup has finally come up with a sponge which is made from wood pulp and comes with a coasting of chitosan. Chitosan is an antimicrobial, blood-clotting substance that is extracted from shrimp cells. With this composition, small 1-cm circular sponges are very easy to insert into the body. And as soon as they come in contact with blood, they expand and within seconds, they put adequate pressure on the wound to stop bleeding.
A special syringe has been created by another firm, Ziba, which can easily insert these sponges directly to the point of wound. The syringe has a diameter of 30 millimeter and is ideally suited for use with RevMedx’s sponges. The syringe, coupled with the sponges, has been branded ‘XStat’ and currently, RevMedx is awaiting FDA’s approval for it.
According to Steinbaugh, ‘I spent the whole war on terror in the Middle East, so I know what a medic needs when someone has been shot. I’ve treated lots of guys who would have benefitted from this product. That’s what drives me.‘
Courtesy: Pop Sci
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