The average adult has about five liters of blood, depending on size and weight. Gunshot wounds can cause a person to hemorrhage and die in fairly short order, particularly if the would is in a difficult place manage. A new invention could change that by packing and putting pressure on a gunshot wound in just 15 seconds.
XStat is a clear syringe-like container that applies dozens of 12-millimeter-wide sponges directly into an open wound. Once the sponges contact the blood, they quickly swell up and cling to the wound, ensuring that they stay in place. Enough pressure is placed directly on the laceration to stop bleeding so the victim can be transported for surgery.
One of the developers for this new device is John Steinbaugh, who retired from the U.S. Army as a Special Operations medic. Traditionally, battlefield wounds from bullets or shrapnel are packed tightly with gauze, which is incredibly painful and doesn't always work. Hemorrhages are the top cause of military deaths, and this could save lives.
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