The United States Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of the XSTAT-30 Rapid Hemostasis System for use on humans. XSTAT is a product of RevMedX, which has been in use with the military for a few years, helping prevent death by exsanguination (ie bleeding out).

Think of it as a tourniquet, but for wounds that where a tourniquet would not be useful like the armpit or groin. It is extremely useful for gunshots, which have a tendency to cause massive internal bleeding through trauma, tearing, and cutting.

Uncontrolled hemorrhage is the most likely cause of death for military casualties due to battlefield injuries. In WWII, it was estimated 40% of casualties could have been saved if they received care within four hours. The XSTAT is rated to stop bleeding for four hours.

Its use is simple. Insert into wound and let the sponges swell to put immediate pressure on the sources of bleeding. According to RevMedX, the sponges work within 20 seconds of contact. For certain applications, it will be a literal life-saver, but it is not appropriate for certain wound types and locations “the pleural cavity; the mediastinum; the abdomen; the retroperitoneal space; the sacral space above the inguinal ligament; or tissues above the clavicle.”

To ensure nothing is left behind after surgical care, each sponge has an X-ray marker.

No word if the XSTAT will be available for direct civilian sale, despite approval for civilian use, but I am sure the company will offer it, if allowed.