The pocket-sized syringe that can seal a gunshot wound in 15 seconds

Tiny sponges could be the unlikely key to saving the victims of gunshot wounds.

Researchers have developed a small syringe that can simply be injected into the would.

The team behind it say it could save dozens of lives, as it can seal the wound within fifteen minutes.

'XStat works by applying a group of small, rapidly-expanding sponges into a wound cavity using a lightweight applicator,' RevMedX, the firm behind the gadget, said.

 

'In the wound, the Xstat sponges expand and create a barrier to blood flow, present a large surface area for clotting, and provide gentle pressure. 

No direct manual pressure is required.

Two applicator sizes are under development: a 30 mm diameter applicator for larger wounds and a 12 mm diameter applicator for narrow wound tracks.

The XStat sponges are made from standard medical sponge that is coated with a hemostatic agent and compressed. 

The invention already has fans in the US Army.

How it works: 'XStat works by applying a group of small, rapidly-expanding sponges into a wound cavity using a lightweight applicator,' RevMedX, the firm behind the gadget, said.

'This project started with the United States Special Operations Command,' he said. 

'The research looked promising enough that the Army chose to fund it through its completion.'

Pusateri said that he expects that units will be able to purchase the device for themselves.

He also believes that the XSTAT device will transcend military medical use and find its way into the field of civilian medicine for widespread public use in trauma scenarios.

SOURCE-DAILYM