Team UV

The XStat, a syringe filled with dozens of tiny sponges, is a new tool to treat gunshot wounds in combat that its creators hope will work faster and more effectively than current methods. Photo Credit: NYDailyNews.com

Being on the front lines during a war is extremely scary.  There are bullets flying around left and right and fear is inevitable.  One of the greater fears while on the battlefield is getting shot.  How quickly someone can treat the wound (correctly) could mean life or death.  In the past, soldiers who faced a gunshot wound would be treated with gauze to clog the hole until they could be transported to a hospital.  Soldiers face tremendous difficulties when using gauze for treatment.  For example, if the wound is deep it is hard to get the gauze deep enough (especially when it is a bullet sized hole) to clog the bleed.  If the gauze method doesn’t work the first time then the entire process has to be done again.  Also, using gauze heightens the risk of infection because medics would force gauze into the wound with their hand so particulates in the air, dirt, grass, etc. could easily penetrate the wound.

An ingenious new invention will save precious seconds in treating life-threatening gunshot wounds on the battlefield.  The XStat looks like a syringe filled with pills, but the capsules it contains are actually tiny sponges that plug wounds and stop bleeding minutes faster than packing them with gauze.  Treating wounds with the XStat takes only a matter of seconds.  The syringe is inserted directly into the wound and the medic presses down to release the sponges.  In about 15 seconds, the sponges expand, creating a pressure that stops the bleeding.  The minutes saved allow medics to move on to the next patient more quickly, and increase a wounded soldier’s chances of survival.  The product, which received $5 million in funding from the U.S. Military, is currently in the final stages of approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.  Once approved, it will head into battle to increase the treatment process of wounded soldiers.

For all of the soldiers out there I would like to thank each and every one of you for your dedication and service!