What to look for in an Ideal Hemostatic Agent

Properties of an Ideal Hemostatic Agent

Hemorrhage control is vital for clinical outcome after surgical treatment and for traumatic injuries. Here is a summary of the properties of an ideal hemostatic agent.

Effective

• Hemostatic Agents should work rapidly to stop bleeding and reduce blood loss.
• The agent should stop a range of bleeding from minor to severe across a variety of wound types and surfaces.
• The agent should work independently of clotting function in order to stop bleeding in patients with clotting dysfunction or those patients being treated with anti-coagulants.

Safe

• The agent be non-toxic and biocompatible and pose little to no risk of adverse events.
• The agent should not interfere with any metabolic pathways that would produce significant biologic dysfunction.
• The agent should be easily removable and/or biodegradable/absorbable to prevent any interference with subsequent biologic processes once the agent has been removed.

Easy to use

• The agent should be easily stored, ideally at room temperature.
• The agent should have a long shelf-life to maintain effectiveness for extended periods.
• The agent should be usable without the requirement for premixing of components or require patient preparation in order for rapid application.
• The agent should require minimal training to use.

Cost effective 

• The agent should be relatively inexpensive and affordable.

References

Peng T. Biomaterials for haemorrhage control. Trends Biomater Artif Organs 2010; 24(1):27-68

Snyder RJ, Sigal BD. Evaluation of hemostatic gauze versus standard of care for the treatment of chronic wounds in the presence of anticoagulants. Presented as a poster at SAWC 2013