Hemorrhage (severe blood loss) from traumatic injury is a leading cause of death for soldiers in combat and for young civilians. In some hemorrhages, bleeding can be stopped by applying compression of a tourniquet or bandage at the injury site. However, the majority of hemorrhages that prove fatal are “non-compressible”, such as due to an internal injury in the truncal region, and in these cases, compressive application of a topical dressing cannot be utilized. Currently, there is no effective way to treat non-compressible hemorrhage. In this study, we demonstrate that a polymer-based expanding foam can be effective in treating bleeding from soft tissue without the need for compression. When the foam is sprayed into an open cavity created by injury, it expands and forms a self-supporting barrier that counteracts the expulsion of blood from the cavity. The active material in this foam is an amphiphilic biopolymer that connects blood cells into clusters via hydrophobic interactions (this hemostatic mechanism is distinct from the natural clotting cascade, and it works even with heparinized or citrated blood). The amphiphilic nature of the polymer also allows it to serve as a stabilizer for the bubbles in the foam. We tested the polymer-based hemostatic foam for its ability to arrest bleeding from an injury to the liver in pigs. Hemostasis was achieved within minutes after application of the polymer foam (without the need for external compression). The total blood loss was 90% lower with the polymer foam relative to controls.<br/>

Hemofoam: A biopolymer-based foam for treating noncompressible hemorrhage

249th National Meeting (2015)

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