Injectable Sponges Might Save A Lot Of Lives On The Battlefield

The biggest problem and the one that takes away a lot of lives in a battlefield is bleeding. There are cases where the injury might be so severe that not even a medic can stop the bleeding, leading to inevitable death. However, as technology advances, solutions for such problems pop up.

A company by the name of RevMedx, which develops products for military medical aid, invented a tablet filled with little sponges. It is said to work by injecting it into the would where the sponges will do their work and allow medics to further assist the victim with medical treatment. It was primarily designed for shotgun wounds and is also said to stop bleeding in just 15 seconds.

“After multiple rotations in Iraq and Afghanistan, it was always the same complaint from the guys, we need better products that control haemorrhaging,” said John Steinbaugh, RevMedx vice president. “You could rapidly apply this product to many people and save a lot of time.”

RevMedx also received a $5 million investment from the U.S. Military to finish the development of the sponges, which RevMedx executives stated to be a great replacement for gauze. The company is also said to be developing a gauze which will grow several times its normal size when in contact with bodily fluids and an ace bandage that has a pump on the side to put pressure on a wound.

To be noted is that the little sponges will not remain in the body after the haemorrhaging stops. Though not harmful, they will be removed through surgery. Every sponge-like tablet has an ‘X’ radiopaque marker which can be spotted in X-ray scans, making it easy to find and remove them.

Thank you KPTV for providing us with this information
Image courtesy of KPTV