Researchers have developed a porous xerogel dressing with silica nanoparticles and calcium that plays a crucial role in helping blood clot quickly, thereby relieving uncontrolled bleeding. This new dressing has demonstrated a significantly faster blood clotting rate than regular dressings.
Uncontrolled bleeding is a significant cause of death from accidents, injuries, and during surgeries or military operations, accounting for over 40% of trauma deaths. Standard first aid materials like gauze are often insufficient to stop severe bleeding, making better hemostatic materials essential.
Scientists at Agharkar Research Institute (ARI) in Pune developed a spongy xerogel hemostatic dressing under the Department of Science and Technology (DST). They found that this composite increased blood clotting by 13 times compared to commercial dressings.
The xerogel dressing had many tiny pores (about 30 µm) that helped it quickly absorb blood. The added materials improved clotting ability and allowed for rapid blood absorption.
Platelets are crucial for blood clotting. Changes in their shape, calcium secretion, and receptor activation are essential.
The xerogel dressing improved platelet clumping by helping them form structures that lead to clotting. It also boosts calcium release, which further aids in clotting.
Researchers found that the xerogel dressing significantly increased the active form of the PAR1 gene in human platelets, which is essential for thrombin signaling. This increase, along with calcium release, helps platelets change shape and clump together for clotting.
The study, published in the Journal of Applied Polymer Science, shows that activating the PAR1 gene and releasing calcium is critical to the xerogel’s effectiveness in stopping bleeding.
These dressings could be valuable tools for reducing blood loss, disability, and death during surgeries and trauma care. The study concludes that the highly porous xerogel dressing can save lives by clotting blood faster and is an effective tool for reducing blood loss in emergencies.
Journal reference:
- Gokul Patil, Rutuja Pawar, et al., Investigation of platelet activation and calcium store release by a topical hemostatic xerogel dressing for improved blood clotting. Applied Polymer Science. DOI: 10.1002/app.55194.