Quick Clot

[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.

[Voodoochild]

Yeah I saw those on their site. Grey Group has a pretty good med package available that uses Celox products. Just wondering how well Cleox did compared to Quick Clot.

[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.

[tommyh]

We were taught to NOT open with your teeth because the powder will get into your nose, mouth, and eyes causing problems for you as well as giving the victim a slight skin burn. the medics describe the new Quikclot as a sunburn type burn and treated much easier. We just have to make sure we stick the packet of whatever product used, pad or powder, somewhere obvious on the clothing, so that the surgeons know they have to remove the wad and be ready.

[goodoleboy]

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

Hey, welcome home brother!!! I am very glad the Corpsman had some QuickClot on him. I hate that you got the chemical burn and are suffering from the spinal injury. God bless you brother!

[Danny Boy]

Yeah I saw those on their site. Grey Group has a pretty good med package available that uses Celox products. Just wondering how well Cleox did compared to Quick Clot.

The three main differences that I'm aware of are that Quick Clot will only work at warmer temperatures, reacts with any liquid based substance and generates intense heat in the wound. Celox will work at any temperature, only reacts with blood and doesn't generate the intense heat that QC does.

[blade_68]

Well the only good I can think about is the A.. H... the stole my gear out of my jeep may get messed up using my hem con and quick clot I had my med kit and aid bag jacked in Jul been replacing with z med stuff..

[AZwildcat]

Quikclot has been through a couple of reformulations and is now available to the civilian market. The original powder did have some exothermic reaction to water and, if the area around the wound was not dried, there was some burning.

That is no longer the case. The current versions of Quikclot now uses "kaolin", which is an inert mineral that has no exthermic effect. It works extremely well and is in use in Iraq and Afganistan. There are many hospitals and EMT organizations that are using it. The product is offered in various forms of gauze, pads, sponges and even an interventional product that is formulated to fit around catheters.

It is orderable at Quikclot.com and at a number of on-line merchants.

I have personal experience with both the old formulation and the new ones. I use Coumadin, a blood thinner that causes extensive bleeding if I am cut or scratched. Prior to finding Quikclot, getting a bleed stopped was problematic. Since I acquired it, I have been able to get any bleed stopped with a minimum of fuss. I have even used it to help a neighbor who gashed his arm with a recipricating saw and was able to get his bleeding stopped before the EMT's got there. The wound was about 4 inches long and it took several Quikclot pads and a couple of minutes of pressure, but it stopped. When the EMTs heard the story, they put pressure on their medical director to get Quikclot for their department and they now carry it in their kits. I keep it in my house and in my personal aid kit when I'm out in the bush.