Gunshot wounds require rapid treatment by first responders before transferring the patient into ER and then surgery. Often, this involves stuffing lots of gauze and applying pressure to prevent blood from exiting the wound. While effective in its own right, this can be difficult to perform and can eat up precious time during a serious situation.

RevMedx, out of Wilsonville, Oregon, has developed the XStat device that is designed to seal gun shot wounds in the pelvis or shoulder area in about fifteen seconds. It works like a syringe, but injects tablet sized sponges into the wound that then expand and provide the necessary hemostasis while the patient is transported.

The sponges themselves are standard medical sponges that were coated with a hemostatic agent and then compressed. Once they come in contact with liquid, they rapidly expand and fill a substantially larger volume than their compressed state. Besides helping block blood flow, the sponges also provide a surface on which blood can begin clotting. Because the sponges have to be eventually removed, each has a tiny radiopaque marker so that any remaining in the body can be spotted on X-ray.

The XStat is meant to be offered in two sizes, depending on the size of the wound, but is yet to receive the regulatory green light and remains an investigational product in the U.S.

From the product page:

The compact XStat-30 applicator includes a telescoping handle and a sealed valve tip. The telescoping mechanism allows the handle to be stored in a shortened state to maximize compactness. The applicator tip is designed to prevent fluid ingress and minimize the risk of premature sponge expansion. The XStat-12 applicator is designed to treat narrow wound tracks. The single-use device consists of a cylindrical applicator body with a frangible tip and a detachable plunger. The applicator body includes a finger flange with snap-fit features to secure multiple devices for low-profile packaging and storage.

Product page: XStat…

(hat tip: How A Simple New Invention Seals A Gunshot Wound In 15 Seconds>Popular Science)