Kanpur: Researchers at Indian Institute of Technology - Kanpur (IIT-K) campus from the Department of Biological Sciences and Bio-Engineering claim to have developed a polymer that can stop bleeding in five seconds when applied to a wound. Ashok Kumar Kaul, Assistant Professor in the Bio-Sciences and Bio-Engineering Department has told that such a polymer that promotes haemostasis, which is the process of preventing the blood flow from an injured body part, has not yet been developed elsewhere.
Such achievement can revolutionize medical treatment for bleeding wounds. Researchers said that the polymer named Natural Polymer Sponge (NPS) has been developed from a chemical found in crab shells, and can help control excessively bleeding wounds that can be fatal. Moreover, Mr Kaul informed that the NPS has been created from a substance called Chitin, which is extracted from shells of crabs at -20 degree Celsius temperature using a process called 'Cryogelation Technology'. A modified Chitin, called Chitosan, is then developed into NPS using chemicals called Dextran and Polysaccharides.
The NPS polymer has many pores, similar to a sponge that can easily absorb large volumes of blood to help curb bleeding. Kaul also said that NPS is biodegradable and is in the form of a one millimeter sheet, but can also be different as per the needs. It has been designed in such a way that it will have the same effect during all seasons. If required, Kaul said that in the future, they might look into collaborations with foreign institutes for further tests on the polymer.
