Synthetic blood clotting help wounded troops and patients

Researchers say they have made a synthetic blood-clotting agent that could help wounded troops and patients.

In the lab, the false platelets cut bleeding in half compared with having no treatment.
They could offer doctors a unlimited supply with a longer shelf life than fresh donor platelets.


The researcher in the US hopes the product could become available in coming years.
The stuff the fake platelets are made from is already used in treatments approved by the US regulators, which the scientists say should help speed things along.
Natural blood platelets are good at helping wounds to clot but can be overwhelmed by large injuries.
Using donor platelets from other people can boost clotting but carries risks of complications, including rejection. They also have a shelf life of only five days.
The researchers' aim is to develop a treatment that medics can keep in their packs to treat wounded soldiers in the field.

Provide challenge
To avoid the fake platelets clumping together and creating an artificial clot, each synthetic platelet is built with a surrounding water shield.

This also means that any surplus platelets not needed for the clotting should be flushed out of the body with no ill effects.


Trauma specialist said the military currently relies on blood stocks shipped from the National Blood Service by the RAF.

"This can be phenomenally challenging, particularly because the fresh platelets have a five-day shelf life.

"Within the military we would always consider innovations in medical practice.
"But it would only be attractive if it had proven benefit and safety in humans."