University of Central Florida researchers have developed SilFoam, an innovative bandage that rapidly stops severe bleeding and prevents infections, offering a new hope for trauma victims.
University of Central Florida researchers have unveiled a groundbreaking medical advancement that could drastically improve survival rates in severe bleeding incidents. The newly developed hemostatic sponge-like bandage, dubbed “SilFoam,” promises not only to staunch bleeding quickly but also to combat infections effectively.
“What happens in the field or during an accident is due to heavy bleeding, patients can die,” co-author Kausik Mukhopadhyay, an assistant professor of materials science and engineering at UCF, said in a news release. “These fatalities usually occur in the first 30 minutes to one hour. Our whole idea was to develop a very simple solution that could have the hemostatic efficacy within that time.”
Innovative Chemistry and Mechanisms
SilFoam operates differently than traditional bandages. Comprised of siloxanes (silicon and oxygen), it is delivered as a liquid gel through a special two-chamber syringe. Once injected, it transforms into a voluminous sponge within the wound in under one minute. This expansion exerts pressure to control bleeding while silver oxide provides antimicrobial properties.
Mukhopadhyay explains that for every 5 milliliters of gel injected, the expansion achieves about 35 milliliters in volume.
“Anytime you have a profuse bleeding or bleeding, you want to press on top and stop the bleeding. So, what we did here is actually the same thing. Instead of putting the hand, we injected it, and it creates a voluminous expansion,” he added.
The sponge’s adhesive and porous characteristics were optimized to prevent further injury during removal.
“The adhesive property of this bandage is optimized so that when you take it out from the system, the smaller vessels don’t get ruptured, but it has the right amount of adhesion that can adhere to the muscles, veins and arteries so that the blood doesn’t leak,” Mukhopadhyay added.
Groundbreaking Experimentation
To test their innovation, the researchers used anatomically accurate mannequins designed with realistic blood vessels and wounds by local company SIMETRI. This non-invasive testing was crucial in determining the potential of SilFoam before moving to live model studies.
The effectiveness of SilFoam was compared to five existing treatment methods, showcasing significant advantages, including less leakage, room-temperature storage, lower cost and minimal training requirements.
Pritha Sarkar, a graduate student at UCF who contributed significantly to the experimentation, emphasized the importance of balancing the material’s reactivity with safety.
“We had to check the reactivity of the two parts because we wanted enough oxygen gas that can expand the sponge, but at the same time, we didn’t want the material to get too hot,” she said in the news release.
Combating Infections
SilFoam was also tested for its antimicrobial properties under the stewardship of Melanie Coathup, a professor at UCF College of Medicine and director of the Biionix Cluster. Their collaborative findings were promising.
“My post-doc Dr. Abi Sindu Pugazhendhi and I worked alongside Dr. Mukhopadhyay and team to investigate the potency of his material and how well it stopped bacterial growth,” Coathup said. “We assessed bacteria that would typically infect a traumatic injury to the torso, and our results showed that the material was highly effective.”
“We have a dressing that can expand onto your wound and seal it shut,” added Sarkar, “but at the same time, once it’s done its job, you can remove it very easily.”
Next Steps and Future Implications
Mukhopadhyay has received a GAP award to assist in the licensing and deployment of SilFoam. The next phase involves collaboration with the University of Nebraska Medical Center to conduct in vivo studies.
As the research progresses, the potential impact of SilFoam in emergency medicine is immense. From military combat zones to civilian accidents, this life-saving technology promises to be a game-changer. For now, the researchers continue their work, driven by the goal of saving lives and reducing the risk of fatal hemorrhaging on the battlefield and beyond.