Saturday 21 September 2024

Tubeless Plug Kits were Invented for Tubeless Punctures! What’s the Solution for Blood Vessel Punctures?

Dear Friends,

A few months ago, I experienced a flat tire three times in one month! It was unusual, but it happened. Since I live in the city, I managed it easily with the help of a tire technician. However, it’s not a simple issue.

A tire puncture occurs every seven seconds in the United States, resulting in roughly 220 million flat tires yearly (bankrate.com). Remember, this is the number despite sophisticated roads! Unfortunately, I couldn’t find data from an Indian or global perspective.

However, I recall reading an article on November 18, 2023, titled "How Two Punctured Tires Brought Bengaluru's Busiest Area to a Halt" (ET). Mahadevapura Outer Ring Road (ORR) came to a grinding halt for almost four hours. Now you can imagine how each puncture can cause havoc in our lives!

Thankfully, tubeless plug kits have come to the rescue many times. They offer a quick and easy method for fixing tubeless punctures. A tubeless plug kit is a piece of rubberized cord that you insert into the tire cut. The plug fills the hole, allowing the latex sealant to do its job and seal the puncture.

So, if we have tubeless plug kits for tire puncture, what is the solution for a cut blood vessel? How do we manage traumatic wounds, severe injuries, gunshot wounds, and stab wounds? How do we stop and control severe blood loss?

It’s estimated that around 15 lakh people worldwide die from hemorrhage (bleeding from a damaged blood vessel) every year (forbes.com). Is there a kit like the "tubeless plug kit" for this? Not yet, but something is coming soon!

Introducing Traumagel! The first gel-based therapy designed to prevent life-threatening bleeding. Traumagel is an algae-derived gel that comes in pre-filled syringes and is applied to traumatic wounds and severe injuries. Its effects are almost instantaneous. Once inserted, it helps the patient form their own blood clots to stop the bleeding. The best part? It doesn’t require direct contact with the wound!

We must appreciate Joe Landolina (CEO and Co-Founder of Cresilon, Inc. | Forbes 30 Under 30) and Isaac Miller for this extraordinary invention, along with the necessary FDA approvals. Joe earned his BS and MS in Biomolecular and Chemical Engineering from NYU Tandon School of Engineering. Kudos to Joe, Isaac, and the entire Cresilon team!

Can we imagine a similar invention, like Bone Plug Kits, used for bone fractures? This is both a challenge and an opportunity for Joe and the biomedical fraternity.

Note: Views are personal

Best,
Ravi Saripalle

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