Stop the Bleeding
18 May 2008, 22:28
Categories: gels--foams smt-rheometry-smart-fluids
Arch Therapeutics says that it plans to soon begin clinical trials of a nanostructured fluid that stops bleeding almost instantly by transforming into a gel. The material, a synthetic peptide developed at MIT, will first be used during surgery to quickly stop bleeding and even prevent it in the first place. But the technology could also be used by first responders to stop bleeding at accident sites and on the battlefield. It has a long shelf life, which makes it attractive for use in first-aid kits. It’s also easily broken down by the body, so it doesn’t have to be removed, unlike other agents for stopping blood flow.
The material consists of naturally occurring amino acids that have been engineered to form peptides that spontaneously cluster together to create long fibers when exposed to salty, aqueous environments, such as those found in the body. The fibers form a mesh that serves as a physical barrier to blood and other fluids.
Posted by: The Editors
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