In the world of emergency medicine, speed can mean the difference between life and death. Now, a new hemostat promises to be a game changer. Trauma gel, recently approved by the FDA, can stop severe bleeding in seconds, offering a revolutionary solution for treating gunshot wounds and other severe injuries.
What is Traumagel?
Traumagel is a 30 ml syringe containing a haemostatic gel based on algae and fungi. Developed by Cresilon, a Brooklyn-based company, this product has a similar texture and color to hummus. But don't be fooled by appearance: its ability to quickly stop bleeding makes it a potentially revolutionary tool in the field of emergency medicine.
How does it work? Unlike traditional methods that involve applying pressure or using gauze, Traumagel can be applied directly into the wound. Its “fluid” properties allow it to quickly reach the source of the bleeding.
Joe Landolina, founder of Cresilon, explains:
If you have a roll of gauze, insert it into a bullet wound inch by inch, making sure it is in contact with the bleeding area. It is painful for the patient and dangerous because it can expose a rescuer or emergency doctor to splinters or bone fragments. Traumagel finds his own way to get where he is needed.
From vet to man
The FDA's approval of Traumagel follows that of a smaller, 5-ml version intended for smaller cuts. But the history of this product begins much earlier, in veterinary clinics.
With the name of Vetigel, the hemostatic product It has been used in over 10.000 veterinary clinics for a wide range of procedures, from spinal surgeries to teeth cleaning. This experience in the veterinary field has allowed the company to refine the product and prepare for launch in the human market.
Large-scale production
In anticipation of Traumagel's approval for human use, Cresilon expanded its manufacturing capabilities. The company now operates a 3.065-square-foot biomanufacturing facility in Brooklyn's Industry City.
Landolina says this facility will be able to meet demand for Traumagel once the product launches on the market later this year. Additionally, the company has established a national sales team and has partnered with the animal health arms of major healthcare distributors.
Hemostatic gel, future applications
If the immediate use of Traumagel focuses on the treatment of serious wounds and bleeding, the potential applications of this technology are much broader.
The US Department of Defense has shown interest in even broader applications of Cresilon's technology. Since 2022, the company has partnered with the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research to help stabilize traumatic brain injuries among soldiers.
Landolina underlines the importance of this technology in the military sector:
91% of battlefield mortality is due to preventable hemorrhage. This means that if there were just one better product to stop bleeding, lives could be saved.
At the moment, Cresilon is focusing on launching Traumagel and training paramedics and doctors to use it. Landolina believes it will be easier to teach doctors to use Traumagel on humans than it has been to train veterinarians to use Vetigel, given the greater variety of shapes and sizes of animals.
Conclusion: a promising “hemostatic future”.
Traumagel could change the way first responders and emergency doctors deal with serious injuries, potentially saving countless lives.
As the product prepares for market launch, it remains to be seen how it will be received by the medical community and what impact it will have on emergency medicine. With its approval by the US FDA, Traumagel stands to become a powerful new ally in the fight against serious bleeding, promising to bring emergency medicine one step closer to a future where no life will be lost for a preventable bleeding. If we also worked to reduce the number of firearms, starting where there are the most, it wouldn't hurt.
