Student designs device that stops blood loss from stab wounds

A student has designed a potentially life-saving device that can be used to rapidly stop bleeding from stab wounds.

Joseph Bentley, from Loughborough University, has developed REACT, which uses pressure at wounds to prevent blood loss.

The product targets areas that are normally hard to treat, such as those in the armpit, groin and abdomen.

Mr Bentley said it was "a game-changer for first responders" and could save "hundreds of lives a year".

REACT consists of two parts - a medical-grade silicon sleeve, known as a "tamponade", and a handheld device called an "actuator". It can only be used in cases where the wound is open.

The tamponade is inserted into the wound, and the actuator is then connected and switched on to inflate and fill the wound.

The final year product design and technology student said by applying internal pressure to the wound, it takes less than 30 seconds to stop the bleeding.

He said it was key for the first people to a stabbing, which is often the police, to stop excessive blood loss while they wait for paramedics to arrive.

"I know several friends who have been the unfortunate victims of knife crime, thankfully none of the incidents were fatal," said the 22-year-old, from Essex.

"I am haunted almost daily by news of someone who has lost their life because of knife crime. There were five murders in three days this spring bank holiday.

"Having something that's on the scene with the police, this life-saving first aid they can carry and immediately administer, I think is the absolute goal for this project.

"I really think having something like this on the streets as soon as possible, in the hands of these first responders could potentially save hundreds of lives a year."

Mr Bentley said the product worked on the same principle as "wound packing", a method used by emergency services to push gauze into a wound and apply pressure to stop bleeding.

However he said this was not viable in wounds in a cavity like the abdomen, "as you would run out of gauze trying to fill up the empty space".

He added REACT was "quicker and simpler" than wound packing, and can be safely removed in surgery.

"When surgeons try and remove gauze from a wound, it often rips out the blood clot with it, causing bleeding to resume," Mr Bentley said.

"REACT works like the balloon on the inside of papier mache, and can be removed safely leaving the clot intact."

Mr Bentley - who has filed for a UK patent for the REACT system - now aims to further develop the prototype to include wound locations in other parts of the body and hopes it can be carried by all members of the emergency services.

London trauma surgeon Shehan Hettiaratchy said the device was a "great concept".

"It would be interesting to see how it is designed to deal with a whole range of wounds, especially reaching areas where you can't get a tourniquet on," he said.

"Obviously knife crime is a major issue and wounds need emergency treatment straight away and to have people thinking about NHS solutions for this and thinking outside the box is great."

He said other improvisations were already used within hospitals to treat wounds, but it can take years to develop a device, and go through the necessary clinical trials, before it can be used in an emergency situation.

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