Pakistan develops first-ever lifesaving hemostat dressing

Pakistan has patented and developed its first-ever lifesaving hemostat dressing, capable of stopping bleeding within seconds and potentially saving tens of thousands of lives each year.

A team at the Interdisciplinary Research Center in Biomedical Materials (IRCBM), COMSATS University Islamabad Lahore Campus, led by Dr Muhammad Yar invented the dressing with low cost biopolymer chitosan extracted from sea creatures.

Commercially named as KytoStat®, the innovation ranks Pakistan among the top few countries in the world who have successfully developed this technology after years of trial and error procedures and finally approved by the Drug and Regulatory Authority Pakistan (DRAP). KytoStat also patented by Intellectual Property Organisation of Pakistan (IPO).

Abnormal bleeding following road accidents and other incidents is one of the leading causes of fatalities worldwide, with nearly five million people dying annually as a result. A study indicates that approximately 146,000 deaths and 2.8 million injuries are caused by road traffic crashes alone.

This groundbreaking product, which harnesses a glycosaminoglycan-based biopolymer derived from marine sources.

The hemostat dressing operates through a mechanism where the positive charge on the surface of KytoStat® interacts with the negatively charged blood components, leading to rapid platelet thrombosis at the bleeding site, thereby stopping the bleeding immediately.

Speaking about the success of KytoStat, Dr. Aqif Anwar Chaudhry, Head of the IRCBM COMSATS University Islamabad says that Pakistan lacks the local development of cutting-edge biomaterials of this kind. The imported patches are costly, and have poor affordability of the masses.

“Our people generally cannot access these exuberantly priced imports. KytoStat® stands out as a cost-effective and life-saving solution that is readily available throughout the country. Its availability in multiple sizes for over-the-counter use and adoption by clinicians in hospitals further underscores its impact in addressing the pressing need for effective hemostatic solutions,” he added.

Prof Tariq Iqbal head of burn center PIMS hospital stated “that hemostat dressings are essential for controlling bleeding and promoting wound healing particularly in developing countries like Pakistan, where the non-availability of trauma centers in every major city is a major obstacle to provision of timely definitive care. Secondly, there is almost no concept of the pre-hospital management of trauma patients due to the absence of an organized/advanced emergency response system.”

Life saving first aid

The easy to apply dressing instantly stops the blood flow of patients after road injuries and bomb blast incidents. KytoStat is a reliable way to maintain the blood in the body while taking the patients on the way to trauma centers.

“large number of patients end up at a hospital nearest to the scene of trauma using whatever transport is available at the time without any trained personnel accompanying the patient and even basic first aid care is administered only when the patient reaches a health care facility. A hemostat dressing is highly recommended to help stop the bleeding while patients are being transferred to hospitals,” said Prof Mustehsan Bashir – the leading plastic surgeon of Pakistan based in Lahore.

Notes from the fields

The innovation is also helping dentists to overcome excessive bleeding after complex dental procedure.

“Post-extraction bleeding is the most common complaint which may lead to pain, discomfort, and delayed healing of the extracted tooth socket. I have used KytoStat® in extraction socket which has revealed excellent results as the immediate formation of a clot (in less than 3 minutes), minimum post-extraction pain and discomfort, and no dry sockets. It has enhanced healing and is potentially beneficial for the patients,” said Dr Sharjeel, a prominent dentist from Lahore.

Hemostat dressings are an essential component of wound management worldwide. This local invention has the potential to assist law enforcement forces in hostile situations. It could also prove invaluable for 1122 emergency services and individuals working in remote areas.

The COMSATS team is manufacturing KytoStat® in collaboration with Cotton Craft Pvt Ltd and is engaging with several firms to export this promising innovation globally.