How to seal a gunshot wound in 15 seconds

We preppers are always looking for serious first-aid options that the average person can store and utilize when disaster strikes. For years the best a civilian could get their hands on was gauze pads and a tourniquet. With the invention of Quik-clot there was finally something that you could carry in your first aid kit that could deal with more serious wounds, although it still wasn't really good enough for serious gunshot wounds.

Now an Oregon startup company has created a device that is supposed to stop the bleeding in gunshot wounds in as little as 15 seconds

http://www.popsci.com/article/technology/how-simple-new-invention-seals-gunshot-wound-15-seconds

The sponges work fast: In just 15 seconds, they expand to fill the entire wound cavity, creating enough pressure to stop heavy bleeding. And because the sponges cling to moist surfaces, they aren’t pushed back out of the body by gushing blood. “By the time you even put a bandage over the wound, the bleeding has already stopped,” Steinbaugh says.

The syringe-like device works by injecting dozens of expandable sponges directly into the wound cavity. The sponges expand to fill the cavity and stem the flow of blood. As with any first aid technique apart from actual surgery, this is still just a temporary stabilization method and not a final solution. You would still need to get the individual some serious medical care. But it will certainly allow you more time to do so, and increase the injured person's chances of surviving. Which is what first aid is supposed to do.

While the current price tag is estimated at about $100 a pop, that is expected to come down as they begin to mass produce the product. If they can get them down in the $25 to $30 range it would be worth having one or two on hand in for a serious first aid kit.


-TLH