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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Cotton Chemistry and Utilization Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #302097
Title: Improving on army field gauze for lethal vascular injuries: a progress report

Author
item Edwards, Judson
item Parikh, Dharnidhar
item Condon, Brian
item Howley, Phyllis
item Batiste, Sarah

Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/8/2008
Publication Date: 4/23/2009
Citation: Edwards, J.V., Parikh, D.V., Condon, B.D., Howley, P.S., Batiste, S.L. 2009. Improving on army field gauze for lethal vascular injuries: a progress report. National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference. 1432-1435.

Interpretive Summary: Uncontrolled hemorrhage is the leading cause of death on the battlefield and second leading cause of death in civilian trauma. Recent animal testing using a lethal arterial injury model compared a variety of woven and non woven products with granular products, and found only one product (WoundStat) gave consistent animal survival (J Trauma. 2007;63:276-284). This product is a clay mineral substance which seals the hemorrhaging wound in 30 seconds. However, the United States Army Institute for Surgical Research has put forth the challenge to develop an intact dressing with comparable hemostatic properties. Thus we have undertaken to study this substance with cotton derivatives that will confer structural integrity, sealing properties, and be compatible with clotting and wound physiology. Product prototypes were tested in a lethal vascular injury model followed by in vitro assessment of the clotting properties of the cotton composites. The challenge in developing this type of cotton product include putting together the material properties compatible with battlefield administration, and understanding the effect on clotting properties that synergize with the sealant properties to give the materials their unique hemostatic properties.

Technical Abstract: Uncontrolled hemorrhage is the leading cause of death on the battlefield and second leading cause of death in civilian trauma. Recent animal testing using a lethal arterial injury model compared a variety of woven and non woven products with granular products, and found only one product (WoundStat) gave consistent animal survival (J Trauma. 2007;63:276-284). This product is a clay mineral substance which seals the hemorrhaging wound in 30 seconds. However, the United States Army Institute for Surgical Research has put forth the challenge to develop an intact dressing with comparable hemostatic properties. Thus we have undertaken to study this substance with cotton derivatives that will confer structural integrity, sealing properties, and be compatible with clotting and wound physiology. Product prototypes were tested in a lethal vascular injury model followed by in vitro assessment of the clotting properties of the cotton composites. The challenge in developing this type of cotton product include putting together the material properties compatible with battlefield administration, and understanding the effect on clotting properties that synergize with the sealant properties to give the materials their unique hemostatic properties.