Initial evaluation of a nano-engineered hemostatic agent in a severe vascular and organ hemorrhage swine model

OBJECTIVES: An advanced hemostatic dressing, Rapid Trauma Hemostat (RTH), was developed using nano-engineered inorganic nanofibers with hemostatic surface properties. METHODS: Yorkshire swine were treated with RTH or Combat Gauze (CBG) to stop bleeding from either an arterial puncture (G-RTH and G-CBG) or a liver lobe laceration (L-RTH and L-CBG). All animals received 500 mL of Hextend at 10 minutes after injury and were monitored for a total time of 180 minutes. RESULTS: Uncontrolled hemorrhage was similar in all animals in both models and was immediately controlled with the application of either dressing. After blood pressure was restored with fluid resuscitation, the RTH hemostatic treatment was less effective than CBG in the groin (puncture) model (rebleeding incidence, four of seven for G-RTH vs. one of seven for G-CBG; p = 0.034) but showed similar efficacy in the liver injury model (lower pressure bleeding). Interestingly, RTH exhibited a trend for higher efficacy in terms of hemostatic plug formation at the end of the experiment (no bleeding occurred after dressing removal) in the liver injury model. CONCLUSION: Overall, RTH was not as effective at stopping high-shear rate (arterial) bleeding, but it presented some advantages for intracavitary treatment with potential for long-term evacuation. (J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2012;73:1180-1187. Copyright (c) 2012 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins)