When someone suffers a stab or impalement wound, paramedics load it with gauze to stop the bleeding and ensure any severed arteries are sealed. However, when the gauze is removed during surgery, it can cause the blood clots to break and bleeding to resume. A recent India Times article discussed a new device developed by a university student that aims to improve the way stab wounds are treated.
The device is called REACT, and it consists of a silicon balloon sleeve and a handheld actuator. The balloon part, called a tamponade, is inserted into the wound, and then the actuator inflates to create the right amount of pressure to stop hemorrhage in under a minute. It was developed to treat deep wounds in the abdomen, but the concept can likely be applied to wounds in other parts of the body. The device is still in development, but its inventor has already filed for a patent in the UK.
