Devices and methods for the delivery of molecular sieve materials for the formation of blood clots

Abstract

An apparatus for promoting the clotting of blood and controlling bleeding comprises a receptacle for retaining molecular sieve material in particulate form therein. A pad for controlling bleeding comprises a mesh structure and a rigid or semi-rigid support attached to the mesh structure to facilitate the application of pressure to the pad and the wound. A bandage applicable to a bleeding wound comprises a mesh structure and a flexible substrate attached to the mesh structure, the substrate being a cloth or plastic member that may be adhesively attached to cover a wound. In any embodiment, at least a portion of the receptacle or mesh structure is defined by a mesh having openings therein, and at least a portion of the particulate molecular sieve material is in direct contact with blood.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates generally to blood clotting devices and, more particularly, to blood clotting materials, devices incorporating such materials, and methods for the delivery of such materials for use as bleeding control devices. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Blood is a liquid tissue that includes red cells, white cells, corpuscles, and platelets dispersed in a liquid phase. The liquid phase is plasma, which includes acids, lipids, solublized electrolytes, and proteins. The proteins are suspended in the liquid phase and can be separated out of the liquid phase by any of a variety of methods such as filtration, centrifugation, electrophoresis, and immunochemical techniques. One particular protein suspended in the liquid phase is fibrinogen. When bleeding occurs, the fibrinogen reacts with water and thrombin (an enzyme) to form fibrin, which is insoluble in blood and polymerizes to form clots. [0003] In a wide variety of circumstances, animals, i...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013] An advantage of the present invention is that upon completion of the application of any of the devices of the present invention to a bleeding wound, the devices can be easily removed. In particular, because the zeolite material is in granule, bead, or pellet form and encased in a pouch or mesh structure, the material can be cleanly pulled away from the treated wound and disposed of. Accordingly, little or no irrigation of the wound is required to flush away remaining zeolite. In devices in which the pouch containing zeolite material is incorporated into an adhesive bandage, the device can be left on the wound for the amount of time necessary to cause clotting.

[0014] Another advantage is that the particlized form of the zeolite material allows the material to react less exothermically with blood. As the particle size increases (e.g., from fine to coarse), the surface area of the particles that the blood can come into contact with decreases. The porous nature of the material still allows liquid blood constituents to be wicked away to cause thickening of the blood, thereby facilitating the formation of clots. Because the particle surface area exposed to the blood is reduced, a less aggressive drawing of moisture from the blood is realized, which thereby tempers the exothermic effects experienced at the wound site.

[0015] Still another advantage of the present invention is that the proper dose of molecular sieve material can be readily applied to an open wound. Particularly when the device is a porous pouch containing zeolite material, the device can be readily removed from sterilized packaging and held directly at the points from which blood emanates to facilitate clotting of the blood without spilling powder or pellets outside the wound area. Guesswork, estimation, or calculation of the amounts of molecular sieve material for application to a bleeding wound is eliminated. Accordingly, little or no molecular sieve material is wasted.

Problems solved by technology

Often bleeding is associated with such wounds.

Unfortunately, however, in other circumstances substantial bleeding can occur.

If such aid is not readily available, excessive blood loss can occur.

When bleeding is severe, sometimes the immediate availability of equipment and trained personnel is still insufficient to stanch the flow of blood in a timely manner.

Moreover, severe wounds can often be inflicted in remote areas or in situations, such as on a battlefield, where adequate medical assistance is not immediately available.

Although these materials have been shown to be somewhat successful, they are sometimes not effective enough for traumatic wounds and tend to be expensive.

Furthermore, these materials are sometimes ineffective in some situations and can be difficult to apply as well as remove from a wound.

Additionally, or alternatively, the previously developed materials can produce undesirable side effects.

Oftentimes excess material is unnecessarily poured onto a wound, which can exacerbate the exothermic effects.

Depending upon the specific attributes of the material, the resulting exothermia may be sufficient to cause discomfort to or even burn the patient.

Although some prior art patents specifically recite the resulting exothermia as being a desirable feature that can provide clotting effects to the wound that are similar to cauterization, there exists the possibility that the tissue at and around the wound site may be undesirably impacted.

If an amount of material is administered that causes discomfort or burning, the wound may require immediate flushing.

In instances where a wounded person or animal has not yet been transported to a facility capable of providing the needed irrigation, undesirable effects or over-treatment of the wound may result.

Bleeding can also be a problem during surgical procedures.

However, when the bleeding becomes excessive, these measures may not be sufficient to stop the flow of blood.

Moreover, any highly exothermic bleed-control material may damage the tissue surrounding the bleed site and may not be configured for easy removal after use.

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