Tina Smith: “I would like to call my colleagues' attention to a revolutionary development in hemorrhage control which is expected to…”

“I would like to call my colleagues' attention to a revolutionary development in hemorrhage control which is expected to save lives of American soldiers now lost due to uncontrolled bleeding on the battlefield. According to military physicians, 90 percent of soldiers killed in war die before they reach a medical facility, most often of blood loss. Wounds to the extremities are considered the main preventable cause of death in military action. Using Army funds added by Congress over the past few years to spur medical technology to help our soldiers, researchers at the Oregon Medical Laser Center at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in Portland have developed a hemorrhage control dressing made principally of chitosan and vinegar. Chitosan is an inexpensive material found in the exoskeleton of shrimp. Last fall the FDA cleared the external use of this dressing. The approval was expedited at the request of the Commander of the Army's Medical Research and Materiel Command, who wrote to the FDA, and I quote: This dressing will significantly improve the ability of medics to control hemorrhage from extremity wounds.”