Museum Acquires Two Clotting Agents Used by U.S. Military

The National Museum of Health and Medicine has acquired two new clotting agents to add to its collection of more than 12,000 historical objects. The agents, QuikClot and the HemCon bandage, both utilize the most recent technological advances to help stop severe bleeding in serious injuries and are currently being used by the United States military to treat soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"The most serious threat that a soldier has historically faced on the battlefield is bleeding to death," said Jim Connor, Ph.D., the museum's assistant director for collections. "Traditionally, medics have tried to wrap a wound in gauze and apply pressure. These coagulants mark a major change from older techniques of staunching a wound. They can be administered by the soldiers themselves and are almost 100 percent effective. They really represent the next generation of wound treatment."

According to Connor, QuikClot and the HemCon bandage fit nicely with the museum's collection as a whole, because they document the changes that are occurring even now in military medicine. He calls this acquisition an example of "prospective collecting," which means acquiring artifacts while they are still new.

QuikClot, manufactured by Z-Medica, a pharmaceutical company based in Newington, Conn., is unlike many traditional clotting agents. Instead of adding clotting factors to a wound in order to help it clot, this granulated mineral compound can be poured directly into a wound, where it removes liquid substances, causing a clot to form almost immediately. The company says that because QuikClot "contains no biological or botanical substances," it does not cause allergic reactions.

The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps helped to develop the formula for the bandage and now include packages of QuikClot in the standard first aid kits carried by American soldiers. Although it only weighs 3.5 ounces, one package of QuikClot has proven effective in halting bleeding in even the most serious injuries, including ruptured arteries. Patented in 2001 and cleared by the FDA for use in 2002, QuikClot is now available to individuals as well as to the military and civilian emergency response teams at a cost of $30 per package. Moreover, the company plans to eventually manufacture QuikClot in a bandage form that can be used to treat less serious cuts and scrapes, which will sell for about $10 per pack.

"Z-Medica's mission is to create and market life-saving products that truly make a difference in the world," said Z-Medica president and QuikClot inv- entor Francis X. Hursey. "The entire company feels extremely honored to have QuikClot recognized as a true medical advance by such an important organization as the National Museum of Health and Medicine, and to have this wonderful product included in its collections."

The second clotting agent acquired by the museum, the HemCon bandage, differs from QuikClot because it is a biological, rather than mineral, compound.

The bandage is made of "chitosan," a 4-inch by 4-inch bandage that costs approximately $90 each. HemCon, Inc. says that this bandage does not cause an allergic reaction, even in people with shellfish allergies, because chitosan does not contain the proteins necessary to cause a reaction.

"It's both a professional and personal honor to have the HemCon bandage included in the museum's collection," said William P. Wiesmann, M.D., co-founder of HemCon, Inc. "The museum provides a valuable history of the leading developments in our field dating back to the Civil War. This is a wonderful tribute to all of the dedicated people on the HemCon team who have worked so hard in the development of our product."

Because many soldier and civilian deaths result from blood loss after severe injuries, experts expect that QuikClot and the HemCon bandage will save innumerable lives, especially because both coagulants can be applied by anyone, regardless of medical training. They also help to ward off infection. QuikClot is on display in the museum's newest exhibit, "Battlefield Surgery 101: The Civil War to Vietnam," which reveals the evolution of the military operating room and the challenges of the men and women who worked there.

Drawn from the museum's archives and historical collections, "Battlefield Surgery 101" features photographs, rare artifacts, and videos that examine how the military has evolved over time and changed with technological advances.

"By including QuikClot in the exhibit, we are able to show how drastically military medical care has advanced in the last 140 years," said Connor. "The comparison between medical technology during the Civil War and current military engagements is striking."

Alan Hawk, manager of the museum's historical collections, continues to add 19th-, 20th-, and 21st- century medical artifacts to the museum's holdings.