HemCon® bandage, designed to control posttraumatic arterial hemorrhage, has been recognized by the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command as one of the 2004 “Top 10 Greatest Inventions”. We have briefly mentioned HemCon® in our earlier post.
Company describes its device:
Designed to save the lives of U.S. soldiers injured in combat, HemCon Bandages are manufactured from a natural product called chitosan, a substance found in the shells of shrimp, crab and other crustaceans. The positively charged chitosan material bonds with red blood cells and forms a clot that stops hemorrhaging. Based on the strength of the innovative technology, the HemCon Bandage was ushered through the FDA in October 2002 and is the second fastest approval of a medical device granted by the FDA. The HemCon Bandage has now evolved into the standard treatment for severe hemorrhaging and is included in the recommended guidelines for all three casualty management phases of “Tactical Combat Casualty Care”.
More at HemCon, Inc…