INDIANAPOLIS -- A sponge-filled syringe that's been used in battlefields for more than a year is now approved by the FDA for use by first responders, doctors and hospitals.
The device, called 'XSTAT 30,' can absorb up to a pint of blood.
Dr. Jamie Coleman, a trauma surgeon at IU Health Medical Hospital, says XSTAT 30 could be used to treat deep penetrating wounds like those from a gunshot.
Coleman says the device could be especially helpful in cases where a tourniquet cannot be used to stop bleeding.
"So unfortunately you're sitting there in front of a patient and they're bleeding profusely, and there's nothing you can really do about it other than pack some gauze and put pressure with your hands. The nice thing with this is that it's quick, it's easy, you're able to address and treat multiple patients with one treatment or one provider," said Dr. Coleman.
Below you can see how the device works:
IMPD SWAT and the Tactical Medical Team currently use 'QuikClot Combat Gauze' to stop patients from bleeding to death.
Officials say they'll switch to XSTAT if it's proven to work better.
The FDA says 30 to 40 percent of people who die from traumatic injuries die because they've lost too much blood. Most of those deaths happen before a patient even reaches the hospital.
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