Friday, January 21, 2011

Good news below the fold

Listening to Strategytalk's podcast, they mention what soldiers have to carry: one important item is a first aid kit with quikclot.

press release from the company that makes it:here

the new version is a gauze (the older one got hot and could burn). Wikipedia has an article HERE.

QuikClot Combat Gauze is a soft, white, sterile, nonwoven 3” by 12 feet rolled or z-folded gauze impregnated with kaolin, an inert mineral with no known contraindications. Each roll of QuikClot Combat Gauze is individually wrapped in an easy rip, military grade pouch. Indicated for temporary external control of traumatic bleeding, QuikClot Combat Gauze is flexible and pliable and contours to all wounds, and can achieve hemostasis in severe bleeding situations in as little as three minutes.



the good news is that they issued it to our soldiers here in the Philippines last year, along with Kevlar helmets.


the good news is that you can buy a version of it here.

heh. They used it to stop a nosebleed.
nosebleeds are common, but serious ones (e.g. from high blood pressure) require posterior and anterior packing, usually with the patient gagging and spitting on you.
Having had to place posterior packing in bleeding noses is one of my least favorite jobs.
and there are a few reports of using in inside the abodomen or thorax...bleeding liver experiment here...

Hmmm...I wonder if it could be used to stop severe post partum bleeding, along with packing of the uterus...only had to do this twice, but it's a messy job too...

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