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RevMedx recently asked the FDA to approve a pocket-size invention: a modified syringe that injects specially coated sponges into wounds

XStat, the device could boost survival

by plugging wounds faster and more efficiently than gauze. 

early efforts were inspired by Fix-a-Flat foam for repairing tires

They bought some ordinary sponges from a hardware store and cut them into 1-centimeter circles

Then, they injected the bits of sponge into an animal injury

After seeing early prototypes, the U.S. Army gave the team $5 million to develop a finished product

The final material would need to be sterile, biocompatible, and fast-expanding

The team settled on a sponge made from wood pulp and coated with chitosan, a blood-clotting, antimicrobial substance that comes from shrimp shells

To ensure that no sponges would be left inside the body accidentally, they added X-shaped markers that make each sponge visible on an x-ray image.

In just 15 seconds, they expand to fill the entire wound cavity, creating enough pressure to stop heavy bleeding

Getting the sponges into a wound,

proved to be tricky.

RevMedx needed a lightweight, compact way to get the sponges deep into an injury

30 millimeter-diameter, polycarbonate syringe that stores with the handle inside to save space

To use the applicator, a medic pulls out the handle, inserts the cylinder into the wound, and then pushes the plunger back down to inject the sponges as close to the artery as possible.

Three single-use XStat applicators would replace five bulky rolls of gauze in a medic’s kit

RevMedx also designed a smaller version of the applicator, with a diameter of 12 millimeters, for narrower injuries

Each XStat will likely cost about $100, Steinbaugh says, but the price may go down as RevMedx boosts manufacturing

When RevMedx submitted its application to the FDA, the U.S. Army attached a cover letter requesting expedited approval

In the future, RevMedx hopes to create biodegradable sponges that don’t have to be removed from the body

To cover large injuries, like those caused by land mines, the team is working on an expanding gauze made of the same material as XStat sponges

The FDA says the sponges are safe to leave in the body for up to four hours, allowing enough time for a patient to get to an operating room

RevMedx, along with Oregon Health and Science University, is now developing a version of the device to stop postpartum bleeding