Blood clotting compositions and wound dressings

Abstract

In general, the basic material forming the wound dressing, covering, and / or application system of the present invention for use in blood coagulation comprises a combination of one or more components selected from the group consisting of clay materials, a molecular sieve material, principally zeolite, and inorganic oxide materials. Although the actual process which enables the wound dressing, covering, and / or application system of the present invention to effectively coagulate flowing blood is unknown, it is believed that the molecular sieve material selectively absorbs small molecules, such as water, from the blood. Due to the absorption of the water molecules, it is believed that the rate of blood clotting is increased.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 939,869, filed Sep. 13, 2004, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 502,571 filed Sep. 12, 2003, entitled “Blood Clotting Compositions and Wound Dressings,” to Francis X. Hursey, the contents of these priority documents are incorporated herein by reference.TECHNICAL FIELD[0002]The present invention relates to blood clotting devices (also referred to as hemostatic agents) and methods of controlling bleeding and, more particularly, to blood clotting materials and compositions for use as bleeding control devices.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]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 liq...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013]One advantage of the present invention is that it is easily applied to an open wound. It can be readily removed from sterilized packaging and deposited directly at the points from which blood emanates to dress the wound.

[0014]Another advantage of the present invention is that the rate of water adsorption is dramatically reduced as the degree of hydration increases from about 0.1% to about 4%. After about 4%, the rate of adsorption is slower. Also, after about 4%, the rate of adsorption changes more slowly. In application of the composition to promote the clotting of blood, slower water adsorption is advantageous for two reasons. First, the humidity and temperature of the packaging environment has less of an affect, thereby allowing material to be exposed to the environment for a longer period of time without significantly changing the pre-hydration level. Second, the slower rate of water adsorption allows the heat of hydration to be dissipated over a longer period of time. Therefore, the composition is heated to a lower maximum temperature. Thus, less heat is transferred to the tissue of a wound without losing product efficacy (formation of clots in blood).

[0015]The present invention is able to effectively clot traumatic bleeding of wounds better than other available methods for treating similar wounds. For example, in a lethal femoral swine model in which several blood clotting materials were evaluated, the material of the present invention was the only material proven to have a morbidity rate of 0% including a standard pressure dressing.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016]By employing the present invention, all of the difficulties and drawbacks found in the prior art have been eliminated, and a highly effective, reasonably priced, easily used wound dressing, covering, and / or application system is realized. In accordance with the present invention, the wound dressing, covering, and / or application system generally comprises, in its principal basic form, a unique composition or formulation which is easily applied to an open wound and rapidly and effectively promotes the clotting rate of any flowing blood. In this way, blood emanating from the open wound coagulates or clots in a rapid or accelerated manner.

[0017]In its principal form, the wound dressing, coverings, and / or application system of the present invention comprises a molecular sieve material, which preferably consists of zeolite, in combination with a suitable binder in a sterilized form enabling its application directly to an open wound. Although the wound treatment material may be applied directly to the open wound, as the sole component for inducing blood coagulation, it is preferable that the wound or opening is also treated with sterilized dressings, such as gauze, pads, multiple layer covers, films, permeable bandages, and the like. In this way, the rate of blood clotting is increased and the rate of blood loss from the wound is rapidly reduced.

[0018]In general, the basic material forming the wound dressing, covering, and / or application system of the present invention for use in blood coagulation comprises a combination of one or more components selected from the group consisting of clay materials, a molecular sieve material, principally zeolite, and inorganic oxide materials. Although the actual process which enables the wound dressing, covering, and / or application system of the present invention to effectively coagulate flowing blood is unknown, it is believed that the molecular sieve material selectively absorbs small molecules, such as water, from the blood. Due to the absorption of the water molecules, it is believed that the rate of blood clotting is increased.

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 very 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 not effective enough for traumatic wounds and tend to be expensive.

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

Additionally, or alternatively, they can produce undesirable side effects.

Higher temperatures are sometimes used for LOI calculations, but procedures that utilize these higher temperatures increase the loss of chemical compounds other than water.