The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have just approved a very unique invention that has already been used for a year and a half in the battle field. But from the looks of it this pocket-sized invention may one day save your life at home.
There are still 57% of Americans still against the idea of war in spite of the ISIS' threat; it's not a surprise if a new invention intended for people in the battlefield were to raise some eyebrows. However, this invention's goal is to help the injured and prevent as much death as possible. The brilliant invention was named, XStat. It is a syringe-like device you can plug a life threatening wound to avoid losing blood.
The maker of XStat, RevMedx is a medical based company based in Oregon. It is purposely invented for deep gunshot and stabbing wounds, and not for cuts and scrapes (Band- Aid is enough for that). It is apparently able to stop the flow of blood in less than 20 seconds. Former U.S. Army Special Operations medic John Steinbaugh told Popular Science last year that by the time bandage is applied to the wound, the bleeding has already stopped.
XStat works by introducing 92 tiny sponges inside to wound opening. These tiny sponges expand, sealing the wound and stopping blood flowing out from the wound by creating a natural pressure to the wound. The sponges, which are made from wood pulp, don't soften in the body since they are coated with chitosan, a material that prevents bacterial infection and promotes clotting.
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Each injection of the sponges is believed to soak up to a pint of blood, and a maximum of 3 injections can be administered to a single patient. XStat is only meant to be used for four hours max, according to RevMedx's website. As soon as the patient is brought to a health facility, the sponges should be taken out of the wound. Each sponge contains a marker that shows up in X-rays, making the doctors able to locate it once they are both (doctor and patient) prepped and ready for surgery.
The FDA also released a statement that it's used for wounds where tourniquets are not enough to help stop the bleeding, such as the groin and the armpit area. Furthermore, the use of XStat is not indicated in certain parts of the chest, abdomen, pelvis, or tissue above the collarbone.
