by D-rob

In recent studies, researchers at University of California at Berkeley have created the first-self propelled particles, capable of allowing agents to flow against the blood flow to treat severe bleeding.

Some studies show that bleeding is the number one killer in young people, and maternal death from postpartum hemorrhage(This can be put into the ratio of “for every one of fifty births in low resource settings). So says the department of Biochemistry and molecular biology and the Micheal smith laboratories at the university of British Colombia.

Traditional methods of stopping bleeding are not very effective when the blood being lost originates internally, rather then externally. Many people have developed hundreds of agents that can stop blood but not work against the flow, especially far enough upstream to reach the vessel in which the blood leaks. So says Christian Kastrup, an assistant professor in the department of biochemistry.

The particles are gas-generated calcium carbonate micro-particles that can be applied in powder form to stop critical bleeding.The particles work by releasing carbon dioxide gas, like antacid tablets, to propel them against the blood flow to the source of bleeding.

The carbonate forms porous micro particles that can bind with a clotting agent better know as tranexamic acid, and transport it through the source of the bleeding and deep into the body.

To see how effective this new development would work researchers took two animal models and mimicked an event like a gunshot wound to an artery. The particles proved highly effective in stopping the bleeding.

Many more tests and developments is needed to bring this agent into the markets, the particles would have a wide range of uses from battle wounds, to hospital use.

The area of focus for this development is “childbirth” in the postpartum hemorrhage in the uterus, after childbirth were you can not see the damaged vessels in which the blood originates.