What was once touted as a miracle product is no longer the case as this ArmyTimes article
mentions the serious side effects of these types of wound coagulating products.
WoundStat found to be potentially hazardous
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/04/a ... t_042009w/
By Gina Cavallaro - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Apr 22, 2009 5:44:42 EDT
The Army has permanently suspended the use of WoundStat, a new product it had begun sending to war zones to help stop bleeding in wounds where bandages or tourniquets could not be applied.
Safety and clotting effectiveness studies conducted by the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research determined that WoundStat’s clotting granules, which are poured directly into a wound, could injure the lining and wall of a blood vessel and potentially lead to surgical replacement of the vessel, according to an April 17 All Army Activity message.
The granules could also cause damage if they travel to other parts of the body, as occurred in two test animals that were found to have the granules in their lungs, the message said.
The studies also revealed that WoundStat was “no more effective than plain gauze for treating coagulopathic bleeding.”
The risk of using WoundStat was found to outweigh any benefit as a backup hemostatic agent to Combat Gauze, which is being used by medics now and will continue to be the preferred blood clotting bandage.
The message instructed commanders to replace the two WoundStat packages issued to combat medics with Combat Gauze in addition to the three Combat Gauze packages medics now receive.
Units were instructed to continue turning in the WoundStat to their medical supply support activity whose responsibility it is to ensure 100 percent return of the product.
Guidance for disposition of WoundStat products currently in stock will be issued by the Army surgeon general at a future date.
More than 17,000 packages of WoundStat purchased in October were being distributed as a replacement for QuikClot, which sometimes caused second degree burns around the wound.
Medical professionals in the combat zones were told in December to stop using WoundStat until the testing could be done.
The product had been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.