A gel that can stop severe bleeding instantly • Hacker News Board

Re: A gel that can stop severe bleeding instantly

#51

Post by pbhjpbhj » Wed, Mar 20, 2013, 10:41 PM UTC

aplusbi wrote: post #45

pbhjpbhj wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Couldn't you just use a piece of waterproof [well blood-proof] material lathered with superglue and slap it on; basically a superglue band-aid. That would contain the bleeding and be cheaper and easier to apply, presumably, than this solution. It would have the same problem of internal bleeding as well of course. With the OP's solution how do you remove it to treat the injury?

It would contain the bleeding but it wouldn't stop it.

I understood that was what the gel in question did, contained the bleeding to prevent bleeding out before medical aid could be given. But, that it was not preventing the bleed from continuing internally.

As you may guess I have basically no medical training so I may well have misunderstood.

Re: A gel that can stop severe bleeding instantly

#52

Post by rdl » Thu, Mar 21, 2013, 12:09 AM UTC

L0j1k wrote: post #47

I'm an infantry veteran with three combat tours under my belt. Been there, done that. The problem with these sort of fast-clot systems (Quick clot or quiclot or however you spell it) is that they inevitably damage the surrounding tissue and make recovery and healing difficult if not impossible without permanent damage. There's a reason they didn't want us to have any of these systems when we got back to the real worl…

The CAT and the Israeli Bandage, however, are seriously useful, and are in my laptop bag first aid compartment, and in a couple parts of the car, and the range bag.

Re: A gel that can stop severe bleeding instantly

#53

Post by zackbloom » Thu, Mar 21, 2013, 12:16 AM UTC

bobsy wrote: post #33

So where does the blood go? The demo video shows an extreme bleed. Like a artery has been cut or something. Sure, you seal the blood in but wouldn't you still bleed out internally? Like if you cut your femoral and gel up your leg. Would you survive for any length of time?

Your arteries and veins form a pressurized system. If you seal a hole well enough (stronger than the systolic pressure of the heart), it will prevent any blood from leaking out. When you close your bathroom faucet it doesn't cause water to start leaking out somewhere else in your house.

Re: A gel that can stop severe bleeding instantly

#54

Post by itcmcgrath » Thu, Mar 21, 2013, 1:58 AM UTC

zackbloom wrote: post #53

bobsy wrote: post #33

So where does the blood go? The demo video shows an extreme bleed. Like a artery has been cut or something. Sure, you seal the blood in but wouldn't you still bleed out internally? Like if you cut your femoral and gel up your leg. Would you survive for any length of time?

Your arteries and veins form a pressurized system. If you seal a hole well enough (stronger than the systolic pressure of the heart), it will prevent any blood from leaking out. When you close your bathroom faucet it doesn't cause water to start leaking out somewhere else in your house.

But if I cut the pipe leading to the faucet then merely shut the cupboard door, my cupboard is not going to be very happy.

I think he's comment was that the gel isn't necessarily sealing the arteries/veins, only the 'hole in your leg' - the assumption being this could still result in fatal internal bleeding - that more traditional methods such as pressure on the wound or a tourniquet could have had better success with.

Re: A gel that can stop severe bleeding instantly

#55

Post by lotu » Thu, Mar 21, 2013, 4:14 AM UTC

daeken wrote: post #46

youngerdryas wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Having previously worked as a carpenter I have vast experience with moderate size cuts, and always had a bottle of brush-on superglue in my belt. If you rinse the cut and leave it a little damp when you apply the superglue it actually pulls the wound closed as it dries as well as killing any bacteria.

Common in bowling as well, for the cuts you'll inevitably get on your thumb. Most pro shops will sell liquid bandage, which is essentially just superglue as well.

I believe the liquid bandage also has an antiseptic in it as well to make sure you kill any pathogens.

Re: A gel that can stop severe bleeding instantly

#56

Post by randall » Thu, Mar 21, 2013, 6:28 AM UTC

learc83 wrote: post #35

danielweber wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unfortunately antibiotics are becoming less and less useful. In 50 years we could be back to where a cut on your toe is life-threatening. :(

From what I've read the antibiotic resistant strains of bacterial are outcompeted by non-antibiotic strains when not in the presence of antibiotics. So if antibiotics become completely ineffective and people stop using them, the resistant strains will die off eventually, possibly quickly.

Reference?

Re: A gel that can stop severe bleeding instantly

#57

Post by learc83 » Thu, Mar 21, 2013, 5:11 PM UTC

randall wrote: post #56

learc83 wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From what I've read the antibiotic resistant strains of bacterial are outcompeted by non-antibiotic strains when not in the presence of antibiotics. So if antibiotics become completely ineffective and people stop using them, the resistant strains will die off eventually, possibly quickly.

Reference?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20208551

Re: A gel that can stop severe bleeding instantly

#58

Post by smartwater » Thu, Mar 21, 2013, 6:18 PM UTC

richardlblair wrote: post #31

gnosis wrote: post #15

There are many blood stopping agents out on the market. Many of them were originally developed by/for the military in the Iraq/Afghanistan wars, and are now available to civilians. Here's a list of some of these products: Bleed-X, TraumaDEX - http://www.bleed-x.com/ http://www.bydezignproducts.com/bleedx.html BloodSTOP - http://www.lifescienceplus.com/ Celox - http://www.celoxmedical.com/ HemCon - http://www.hemcon.c…

As a man who enjoys a good shave, I can tell you that clotting agents sting like a bitch

I haven't cut myself shaving in years. I hope you're not using disposables!

Re: A gel that can stop severe bleeding instantly

#59

Post by richardlblair » Fri, Mar 22, 2013, 8:06 PM UTC

smartwater wrote: post #58

richardlblair wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a man who enjoys a good shave, I can tell you that clotting agents sting like a bitch

I haven't cut myself shaving in years. I hope you're not using disposables!

Straight razors my friend... such a good shave.

Just every so often you slip a little.

Re: A gel that can stop severe bleeding instantly

#60

Post by kkwok » Mon, Mar 25, 2013, 2:22 AM UTC

uberuberuber wrote: post #49

kkwok wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Since you clearly know a lot on this subject, what are your thoughts on this related Darpa funded project: http://www.healthline.com/health-news/darpa-wound-stasis-foa...

I'd like to again qualify my status as a non-expert with regards to the surgical aspects of trauma treatment and biochemistry. I have seen similar articles about the foam, and I must admit I am similarly skeptical. The ‘Golden Hour’ is one of those concepts in medicine that everyone praises (it originated @ Marylan’s Shock Trauma center if I recall), but it actually does not have an evidentiary basis. There are 3 cat…

Thanks so much for responding. My worry when reading articles like these is that I know I don't have the background to evaluate the technology, but I don't often know where to go to find people who do.

This was a really useful perspective to hear.