Experience in the use of kaolinbased local hemostatic agent by emergency medical service teams

Objective . To evaluate the effectiveness of kaolinbased local hemostatic agents for temporary control of external bleeding in emergency medical care. Materials and methods . The study utilized the local hemostatic agent «Kaolin Hemostatic Bandage QuikMed» (Sigmafarm LLC, Russia). Effectiveness was assessed in patients with ongoing external bleeding requiring the use of a tourniquet. The local hemostatic agents were applied by emergency medical teams in Belgorod and Donetsk. The study included patients with uncontrolled ongoing arterial or mixed bleeding, extensive soft tissue wounds with a complex wound channel. Patients with superficial venous bleeding and minor bleeding that could be controlled by a pressure dressing were excluded. Results . The study included 23 patients showing signs of ongoing external bleeding. Among them, 7 cases of arterial, 1 case of venous, and 15 cases of mixed bleeding were recorded. Anatomical locations of arterial bleeding included the arm (1 case), thigh (4 cases), lower leg (1 case), and supraclavicular area (1 case). In 100% of cases, the use of the kaolinbased local hemostatic agent achieved temporary hemostasis, effectively preventing re-bleeding during transportation. Data analysis showed that the effectiveness of the kaolin-b ased local hemostatic agent was statistically comparable to that of chitosan-b ased local hemostatic agent (P≥0.05). Conclusion . Kaolin-b ased local hemostatic agents demonstrated high effectiveness in achieving rapid temporary hemostasis in the pre-hospital setting. The ability to stop bleeding when a tourniquet cannot be used makes them an important and practical tool for emergency medical teams. Owing to their ease of use and reliability, these agents can be considered a promising component of emergency care standards for external bleeding.