Sprayable foam stops bleeding, may save lives

WASHINGTON, June 25 (UPI) -- Researchers have developed a sprayable foam that stops bleeding by forming a self-supporting barrier, which they said could help save lives in cases of extreme trauma.

During major injuries to the torso, such as in car accidents or military combat, compression of injuries to prevent bleeding can make damage to major organs worse. Inability to stop bleeding in such cases is the most common cause of death from combat-related injuries and a leading cause of death among young adults.

The foam was developed from chitosan, a biopolymer derived from shrimp shells and other crustaceans, according to a press release. Chitosan, which is already being used in other non-foam wound dressings, binds blood cells into clusters via hydrophobic interactions within the foam to form a self-supporting barrier that stops bleeding.

The chitosan foam stopped 90 percent of blood loss in tests with pigs.

The study is published in Biomaterials Science and Engineering.