A college student named Joseph Bentley from the United Kingdom could be responsible for saving hundreds of lives. He’s managed to invent an amazing device that could be used by first responders to ‘stop the bleeding’ of violent knife crimes by aiding in better sealing their wounds.
Many times, depending on where a victim of stabbing was struck, it doesn’t take too long for them to bleed out and die. But with Bentley’s new invention, if it is in the hands of first responders as they quickly arrive on the scene, it could significantly reduce the possibility of the victim bleeding out.
The device, which is called a rapid emergency actuated tamponade, or REACT, acts much like the incredibly popular medical supply gauze, which is basically translucent fabric with an open weave that is usually applied to an open wound to stop it from bleeding while waiting for the body to create blood clots and stop the bleeding. But many times, when gauze is removed or the bleeding is just too intense, the wound can either reopen or the bleeding is just too much that it can’t be stopped.
As for the REACT invention, it actually works by inflating a silicon balloon-like sleeve that is called a tamponade. How it works is that it applies the same type of pressure as gauze, or more, which then applies enough pressure to aid in blood clotting. Then when it’s time for the balloon to be removed, it’s deflated very slowly and gently in order to make sure that the blood clots don’t open once again but that they rather stay intact.
When used by the first responders on victims, they would insert the sleeve into the open wound and use the actuator device, which is a part of the device that looks like a battery-powered hand drill. This helps them discover the part of the body were the wound is found, then inflate the tamponade through a valve that’s connected, which will inflate it the precise proportions needed for the location.
Bentley told the Loughborough University press, “I know several friends who have been the unfortunate victims of knife crime, thankfully none of the incidents were fatal.”
“The tamponade can be in place and stopping a hemorrhage in under a minute, saving hundreds of lives a year, and as the tamponade is suitable for large cavities like the abdomen, it is also easier and faster to remove than current methods used to stop bleeding, giving the patient the best chance in reconstructive surgery,” he added.
At the moment, Bentley’s REACT device is still considered a prototype, but he’s currently seeking a patent for his machine. The hope is that he can manage to get through the first needed steps soon enough, so that first responders can already use it in the near future.
Bentley also said in a statement, “Medical device development takes a long time, but hopefully in a few years the REACT system will be used to control the bleeding in victims of knife crime and save lives. I’m hoping one day it will be carried by all emergency services: police, ambulance staff, even in the military, but the absolute goal is to get this product in use as soon as possible.”
If you’d like to see more of the device, check out the video below.
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