RESEARCHERS AT THE University of British Columbia have created a powder that could revolutionise the treatment of trauma.

The team have created the first self-propelled particles capable of delivering coagulants against the flow of blood to treat severe bleeding.

Traditional methods of halting severe bleeding are not very effective when the blood loss originates inside the body like the uterus, sinus or abdomen. And, while clotting agents have been developed, the challenge has been propelling them against blood flow.

“Bleeding is the number one killer of young people, and maternal death from postpartum hemorrhage can be as high as one in 50 births in low resource settings so these are extreme problems,” explains Christian Kastrup, an assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Michael Smith Laboratories at the University of British Columbia.

Kastrup teamed up with a group of researchers, biochemical engineers and emergency physicians to develop simple, gas-generating calcium carbonate micro-particles that can be applied in powder form to stop critical bleeding.

The particles work by releasing carbon dioxide gas, like antacid tablets, to propel them toward the source of bleeding.

The carbonate forms porous micro particles that can bind with a clotting agent known as tranexamic acid, and transport it through wounds and deep into the damaged tissue.

While more rigorous testing is needed, the researchers are hopeful it can be brought to the market in order to treat operations and childbirth.

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