While there are several hemostats available on the market, uncontrolled hemorrhaging is still the primary cause of preventable death on the battlefield. Common hemostats available for use include gauze and XStat®, but they can induce high pressures on wound walls, require frequent dressing changes, and have limited success. We propose to develop a new hemostatic material based upon shape memory polymer (SMP) polyurethane foams, which exhibit a number of ideal properties for hemorrhage control, including biocompatibility, rapid clotting, and shape recovery to fill the wound site. Here, SMP foam hemostat efficacy was examined in a Grade V porcine liver injury. Various foam geometries were assessed (sheets, cylinders, and powder) in comparison to XStat®, and time to bleeding cessation, total blood loss, and animal survival was measured. In the pilot study (6 pigs total), a combination treatment of SMP foam sheets, cylinders, and powder exhibited better hemorrhage stabilization than the XStat® control, reducing bleed stabilization time by 27% and blood loss by 10%, Figure 1. The full study (24 pigs) will compare XStat®, QuickClot Combat Gauze, and our SMP foam system. This biomaterial system shows significant promise for use as an improved, easy-to-use hemostat. Future generations of the material will include degradable linkages, antimicrobial agents, and/or anesthetic delivery to further improve patient outcomes

Shape memory polymer foam hemostats for traumatic wounds

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.