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Members of Fischell Department of Bioengineering (BioE) professor Peter Kofinas' research group recently completed their first full scale animal trial of a new, synthetic blood-clotting material at the University of Maryland Medical School in Baltimore.
The hemostatic polymer hydrogel, which is also capable of delivering therapeutics, was able to successfully stop bleeding from an induced lung incision in a sheep in approximately 2 minutes. Postoperative analysis showed that the material was able to induce the formation of fibrin (a blood-clotting protein) at the incision site, causing a natural suturing process, completely sealing the tissue, and preventing further blood loss. A liver experiment is planned for the near future.
The new product is being developed by Trauma Solutions (formerly Heamechanics), a startup company founded by Kofinas, BioE graduate student Brendan Casey, and undergraduate research assistant Adam Behrens (Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering). The trio collaborates on the research with University of Maryland Medical Center surgeon Dr. Bartley Griffith, the hospital's chief of cardiac surgery and director of heart and lung transplantation. In May 2009, the young company and its hemostatic invention won first place in the life sciences division and $20K in startup funding in the annual University of Maryland $75K Business Plan Competition.
Trauma Solutions' goal is to develop a commercial product that can be used in general surgery, emergency rooms, and especially on the battlefield, where suturing may not be possible and the patient may be a long way from an operating room.
Watch a Video Showing the Hemostatic Polymer Hydrogel in Action:
Warning: Contains footage of actual surgery.
Hemostatic Polymer Hydrogel (Quicktime, .mov) »
Hemostatic Polymer Hydrogel (Full size MP4, .m4v) »
Related Articles:
Casey Named ARCS Fellow
Kofinas Group Startup Named Finalist in $250K Business Plan Competition
Kofinas Group Wins 2nd Business Plan Competition
Bentley, Kofinas Teams Are $75K Competition Finalists
June 26, 2009
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