Quick Clot

[ABN Monk]

are there good reasons not to use quik clot? i have several left over from OIF in my kit, but the army stopped playing with it and gave us HEMCON bandages (which they also stopped giving out). What are the reasons the military stopped issuing these two products, and are they worth holding onto for emergency use in the field? Or, are they dangerous?

[Spade]

I would really like to hear any negative reasons as I have considered getting some for a bug out kit

[RetreatHell]

I am a HUGE proponent of QuikClot, as I would be dead had it not been for that wonderful powder!

Six years ago, on April 12, 2003 while serving in Iraq as a US Marine Infantryman during the initial invasion of that country, I was shot under the left armpit by an AK-47 fired by a Fedayeen Fighter from a distance of roughly 30-40 feet away. The bullet also severed my spinal cord, completely and permanently paralyzing me from the waist down... trust me when I say that I was in a real bad way.

The Navy Corpsman who came to my aid on the battlefield poured QuikClot on my entry wound to help stop the bleeding. Not only did it instantly stop the bleeding, but because it basically cauterized the wound and gave me a nasty chemical burn it kept me awake. As soon as he poured the powder on my entry wound, I remember softly yelping (my lung was punctured too by the bullet so I couldn't scream) and clenching and clawing the dirt with my fingernails because of the intense pain. That might sound awful, but it really helped to keep my eyes open for a little while longer, which in turn helped to keep my alive as well.

The only downside I can possibly see with QuikClot is that it gives patients a nasty chemical burn... but so ****ing what? I'd rather have the large tennis-ball-size chemical burn under my left armpit and be ALIVE than not have the burn and be rotting six feet under.

The burn required a skin graft too, which sucked, but like I said, it ain't that big a deal in the larger scheme of things.

If I were you I'd hold onto the QuikClot just in case. However, just don't use it unless the circumstances are truly life-threatening, as there's no need to burn the hell out of someone unless they are dying.

That's just my two cents. I'm not a doctor or medical professional, just a jarhead whose life was undoubtably saved by QuikClot.

-Paul

[civilian]

Main arguments against it is the likelihood of a serious burn. That and folks really weren't being trained to use the stuff properly. I still keep a few packs in my kit, because at the end of the day the stuff does tend to work when used properly.

RH, glad you pulled through that experience.

[Spade]

thanks for the info guys

[PA PATRIOT]

Any info for HEMCON bandages or the new sponge that hit the market?

[AZwildcat]

I am a HUGE proponent of QuikClot, as I would be dead had it not been for that wonderful powder!

Six years ago, on April 12, 2003 while serving in Iraq as a US Marine Infantryman during the initial invasion of that country, I was shot under the left armpit by an AK-47 fired by a Fedayeen Fighter from a distance of roughly 30-40 feet away. The bullet also severed my spinal cord, completely and permanently paralyzing me from the waist down... trust me when I say that I was in a real bad way.

The Navy Corpsman who came to my aid on the battlefield poured QuikClot on my entry wound to help stop the bleeding. Not only did it instantly stop the bleeding, but because it basically cauterized the wound and gave me a nasty chemical burn it kept me awake. As soon as he poured the powder on my entry wound, I remember softly yelping (my lung was punctured too by the bullet so I couldn't scream) and clenching and clawing the dirt with my fingernails because of the intense pain. That might sound awful, but it really helped to keep my eyes open for a little while longer, which in turn helped to keep my alive as well.

The only downside I can possibly see with QuikClot is that it gives patients a nasty chemical burn... but so ****ing what? I'd rather have the large tennis-ball-size chemical burn under my left armpit and be ALIVE than not have the burn and be rotting six feet under.

The burn required a skin graft too, which sucked, but like I said, it ain't that big a deal in the larger scheme of things.

If I were you I'd hold onto the QuikClot just in case. However, just don't use it unless the circumstances are truly life-threatening, as there's no need to burn the hell out of someone unless they are dying.

That's just my two cents. I'm not a doctor or medical professional, just a jarhead whose life was undoubtably saved by QuikClot.

-Paul

There is a new generation of Quikclot that is now available. It has been used very successfully in Iraq and Afganistan and the Israelis have used it in Gaza. It no longer comes in a granular form, but is now in gauze. The material that causes the blood to clot is also changed from zeolite (which had an exothermic reaction if combined with water), to kaolin, which has none of the "heat" associated with the old product. The first generation product is still usable, but you need to wipe the area of any water prior to pouring it on the wound. The new product is used by pressing the gauze into the wound and applying pressure. It has proven very effective both for military and civilian use.

I have personal experience using the new product to stop bleeding from cuts. I use Coumadin blood thinner and have cut myself a couple of times over the years and cannot get the bleeding under control without a lot of blood loss and a major mess with towels, gauze and bandages. With Quikclot, I simply open the package and press the gauze onto the cut and hold it there with pressure for a couple of minutes. The bleed is quickly controlled. I now keep it at home and in my first aid kit that I carry when I'm out in the mountains.

You can check it out and buy it at Quikclot.com. It is made by Z-Medica corp. and their website has a lot of info about the products and testimonials. Their site is Z-medica.com.

[Voodoochild]

Anyone here have any experience or info regarding CelArm Celox.

http://www.celoxmedical.com/

[Iraq Ninja]

I know that some of the Brits in Iraq used the Celox A injectable version with good results. It comes in a syringe with no needle.

[AZwildcat]

Anyone here have any experience or info regarding CelArm Celox.

http://www.celoxmedical.com/

Celox uses a completely different substance in their products than Quikclot. Celox uses "chitosan", which is basically ground up shrimp shells as their clotting agent. It does stop bleeding by forming a "pseudo-clot" (the manufacturer's description), where Quikclot actually activates the clotting cascade. The clotting substance used by Quikclot is "kaolin" which is a mineral that activates clotting factors 12 and 11. Take a look at both the Quikclot.com and Celoxmedical.com websites as both have fairly complete info on the products.