An Innovative Medical Product To Effectively Treat Battlefield Wounds

The Office of Naval Research (ONR) sought a practical solution to a difficult problem that has been around since the advent of warfare: effectively treating wounds in a dirty, stressful environment.  With the effectiveness of today’s military body-armor, severely injured limbs are the most common traumatic wounds for personnel on the battlefield.  

Traditionally military personnel carry gauze or tourniquets to treat battlefield wounds with the intent of stopping bleeding.  Oftentimes casualties incur infection from dirt and environmental debris on the way to the hospital.  Tissue, robbed of oxygen, begins to die before the casualty arrives at an advanced medical facility.  These conditions result in more of the injured limb being surgically removed.