QuikClot: yes or no

[martel]

It looks like a wound sealing powder. Does anyone have any experience with it? I've heard some pretty nasty things about it, I just wanted to see what y'all know.

Thanks!

[RandyRhoads]

It's not to be used lightly. I don't carry it. I think they made them all non exothermic now? Qwik clot would have to be a lay result somewhere where pressure couldn't be applied and SHTF for me to use it...

[RandyRhoads]

Here is a view from a "survival doctor"



“First there’s the mess that comes with QuikClot.

My experience has been seeing fairly minor wounds treated with QuikClot. If the patient has used the older version of the product, I have to clean and scrub, and still I’m not certain I’ve gotten all the granules out. When this has happened, I can’t help but think that if they had simply applied direct pressure on the wound, I wouldn’t be forced to traumatize the fragile tissue so much more. I understand this is a complaint with emergency-room physicians and trauma surgeons also, except the wounds they see can be much worse, and time can be precious.


image by Parker Michael Knight

Prior to 2008, QuikClot also produced a lot of heat when it reacted with blood, and this can be very painful—even burn flesh. If a granule flew into an eye, ouch!

The more recent version uses a chemical that doesn’t cause as much of a burn reaction, although it can still get hot when it comes in contact with plain water. They’ve also encased it in gauze. Hallelujah!”

QuikClot isn’t a cure-all

He goes on, “But my main concern about QuikClot is that some people think it’s a cure-all.

Certainly it can be a lifesaver in battles, where the wounds are large and potential blood loss is severe. It stops the bleeding long enough for these injured victims to get to surgical care. But the key is getting them the surgical care.

Lay people tend to use QuikClot first-line for every wound. They forget the basics, like direct pressure. If anyone pulls off the QuikClot to actually treat the wound, the clot comes with it, and you’re back to stage one unless there are granules, and then the situation has been made worse.

Remember, QuikClot does nothing to repair the wound. You put this stuff in, and that’s only the beginning. You can’t keep it in forever. It will stop working at some point, and because it’s a foreign body, it will increase the risk for a bad infection. When it’s removed, the bleeding begins anew.

A wound often includes an artery that supplies vital blood to an extremity. If the artery is not surgically repaired fairly quickly, the extremity will die. Gangrene will set in. The QuikClot may have been a lifesaver, but only short-term.

The bottom line is QuikClot in your bug-out-bag is not enough. You need to know when and how to use it. Start by learning how to stop bleeding with direct pressure. Know your pulse points in the arms and legs, and how you can press on them to stop the bleeding. Know how to use a tourniquet for extreme injuries.

Then, watch a few instructional videos on how to properly use QuikClot.”

When would QuikClot be an acceptable remedy?

The Survival Doctor continues, “Okay, I’d use QuikClot in a flash if blood were pouring, and direct pressure or pressure on pulse points wasn’t going to stop the bleeding, and using QuikClot was the only thing I knew to do to save a life—like if a femoral artery were cut so close to the groin a tourniquet wasn’t feasible. Or if I were facing a gusher on the neck and pressure wasn’t helping. I’d try it on a badly bleeding chest or abdominal wound if I couldn’t do anything else, even though I know if the QuikClot doesn’t come in contact with the bleeding blood vessel, it’s not going to help.

After the bleeding had stopped, I’d apply a pressure dressing on the wound and figure out how I was going to get this person some definitive medical help ASAP.

Oh, and if you have the old granule type of QuikClot, replace it with the new gauze type. Whoever ends up repairing the wound will thank you.”

Bottom line:

Only use QuikClot if:

Direct pressure over several minutes isn’t stopping the bleeding.
The compress becomes saturated with blood quickly and repeatedly. (A sanitary pad is helpful for these types of injury and provides an idea of the level of injury that would cause several of these pads to be soaked through in a matter of minutes.)
You are miles and miles from any medical assistance.

[gryffynklm]

Quick Clot seems to be another one of those items that gets tossed into a medical kit without fully understanding how to use it before you need it. Thanks, great info.

[Rick]

I have personally used it just to try it out. It works amazingly well. QuickClot Sport, which is what I have, comes in a mesh bag and contains small beads (2mm) of an organic clay called zeolite. There is no exothermic reaction at all. The mesh bag was designed to keep rotor wash from blowing the material out of wounds. I have placed a few of the beads in a cut just see how quickly it causes a clot and it's immediate. I was blown away at how quickly it worked. I left the beads in overnight and by the next morning they had fallen out of the wound. Of course, that would not happen with an arterial bleed but on a small wound it did. Here's a pic of the mesh bag. If you click on the pic to enlarge it you can see the small beads inside.


quikclot.jpg


I'm convinced if you had an arterial bleed that a hemostatic agent might well be a lifesaver. Never leave home without it!

[crashdive123]

I carry it and hope I will never need to use it.

[LowKey]

I carry the Sport also, for the same reason as everyone else. To have it, but hope to never use it.
With the Sport there should be no granules getting into the wound. You leave it in the mesh bag.

[Batch]

I carry the Sport as well.

[RandyRhoads]

Quick Clot seems to be another one of those items that gets tossed into a medical kit without fully understanding how to use it before you need it. Thanks, great info.

There's a lot of that... People seem to want to use really cool ALS tools and treatments without a good understanding of indications and risk vs benefit.... Most things like this are meant only as a temporary means to definitive care.

[Rick]

With the Sport there should be no granules getting into the wound. You leave it in the mesh bag.

Thanks. I guess I could have been a bit clearer on that. I cut the pouch and took the granules out to use them. Not something that would be done in actual practice. The pouch would be applied directly to the wound and held in place by a pressure dressing. I only did it because I wanted to see the zeolite in action and it was a small cut that a few moments of pressure and/or a band aid would have resolved. Good catch.

[randyt]

As a did you know, Water Right water softeners use zeolite in their units. They also own a sister company called Mineral Right that makes the zeolite.

[Rick]

Well of course we knew that. Did you know that Old McDonald was a really bad speller?

[randyt]

So was Young McDonald

[hunter63]

Y'all know, maybe a couple of those would be good in the chain saw box........Hummmmm

[Rick]

[randyt]

those little packets that come in some packages to keep things dry are zeolite. Ya know the packets the size of a book of matches or so that says 'do not eat". That means you know who.^^^^

[martel]

Thanks, guys!