from the would-this-new-seal-seal-seal's-wounds? dept.
Uncontrolled bleeding is a very serious situation, both during surgical procedures and as a result of trauma. In most cases, it is the result of damage to a major artery or an organ like the liver. In all cases, immediate action must be taken or the victim will die. Currently, treatment for such wounds involves clamping the artery and then using sutures to close the wound. In the past, researchers have attempted to create a type of glue to stem such wounds, but thus far, none of them has worked as hoped—they were either made of toxic materials or were not strong enough to stand up to the high liquid pressure in the bloodstream. In this new effort, the researchers have developed a new type of hydrogel that solves both problems.
The researchers report that the hydrogel is made of water, gelatin and a mix of proteins and other chemicals. It was designed to be as close as possible in structure to human connective tissues. When UV light shines on the gel, it thickens and solidifies, adhering to the wound, preventing blood from flowing out. And it does so in just 20 to 30 seconds. The researchers note that it could also stand up to 290-mmHg blood pressure—much higher than normal.
Still, will the wound seal before you bleed out?
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @01:56PM
I'll bite.
Back when multiple heart bypass operations were just becoming mainstream (in USA), a friend had one of these operations -- but with a twist. The surgeon removed arteries from his legs to use around his heart, instead of the more common veins. Much tougher material in arteries and his doc told my friend that they should last longer. So far, he's had 30 years which I think is way out on the end of the bell curve.
If this new material is as good as it claims, and doesn't have side effects, it should make operations like this much quicker and easier.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @02:54PM (2 children)
Given the prices of drugs these days.. Could anyone afford this?
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Thursday May 16 2019, @04:36PM
A pound of your flesh; on the plus side, you don't need to worry, you aren't going to bleed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @05:01PM
Oh, right. You have Martin Shkreli pharma types instead.
(Score: 2) by Freeman on Thursday May 16 2019, @03:34PM
https://www.healthline.com/health/bleeding-to-death#timeline [healthline.com]
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 2) by All Your Lawn Are Belong To Us on Thursday May 16 2019, @06:51PM (1 child)
Because extremity bleeds that are bad to risk bleeding out could have a tourniquet on it (or clamp it if exposed). Then put the dressing on and cure it. Then restore the blood flow before the tissue distal to the tourniquet dies. For other classes of injury you're going to be applying pressure anyway.
(And I could be a million miles off... just because it will take a 290 BP doesn't mean it would put up with the shock of restoring circulation after being cut. But it might).
This sig for rent.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @08:56PM
> just because it will take a 290 BP doesn't mean it would put up with the shock of restoring circulation after being cut. But it might)
Just like water hammer in plumbing when flow is stopped or started suddenly, it makes sense to remove the tourniquet or clamp very slowly, to avoid pressure spikes (beyond the spikes the heart normally produces). I wonder if MD training includes this little bit of hydraulic engineering?