Technological advancements mean donor blood could soon be more widely used. But injuries involving heavy bleeding must be treated immediately on-site.
Cue a Florida-based research team and its newly created foam, which acts like a pressure bandage.
Using a two-chamber syringe, a silicon gel comprising anti-bacterial silver oxide and oxygen are simultaneously injected into the wound. The oxygen inflates the gel to 6 or 7 times its initial size within 30-40 seconds.
The resulting foam closes the wound and presses down on it, supporting the body’s clotting processes to stop the bleeding. The foam can later be gently removed without reopening the wound.
Internal injuries could soon be treated with a 3D-printer. An electric bio-plaster is ideal for surface wounds.
