Hemostasis Solution Controls Bleeding during Surgery

A novel handheld device delivers a powder based on collagen to help surgeons achieve hemostatic bleeding control during surgical procedures.

The Biom’Up (Saint-Priest, France) HemoBlast Bellows is a sterile delivery device that is preloaded with a dry, sterile powder made of highly purified porcine collagen, glucose, chondroitin sulfate, and thrombin. The hemostatic powder is applied to the source of the bleeding by squeezing the bellows. Once applied, the powdered collagen and glucose components start the coagulation process by absorbing blood, concentrating coagulation factors and platelets, and providing a surface for autologous coagulation to begin.

In addition to collagen, the thrombin component, collected from pooled human plasma (an ancillary blood derivative) is included in the powder to boost the effect of the hemostatic agent. The thrombin facilitates the conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin, which allows the blood to clot. The chondroitin sulfate powder component provides cohesion between the hemostatic wound and the surrounding tissue. Users do not need to thaw, mix, or heat the powder, which is absorbed by the body within four weeks.

“As the first active hemostatic powder, it will support surgeons in their care for their patients with a simple, effective, and holistic solution for the management of bleeding” said Etienne Binant, CEO of Biom’up. “Biom'up has created innovative and clinically proven products that cover many different surgical specialties - orthopedics, spinal, cardiac, general, and maxillo-facial and dental.”

Studies have shown that during general surgical procedures, the HemoBlast Bellows device achieved 93% efficacy for hemostasis within six minutes, with a significantly shorter preparation time. Common adverse events included abnormal bloodwork, anemia, arrhythmia, and pain, none of which were related to the device itself. No unanticipated adverse device effects occurred.

Collagen is the main structural protein of connective tissue, making up 25-35% of the whole-body protein content. It is one of the body’s key natural resources and a component of skin tissue that can benefit all stages of the wound healing process. The importance of re-establishing a functional extracellular matrix (ECM) in chronic wounds has led to a renewed interest in collagen-based wound healing products, which can be applied either in the surgical or clinical setting, serving as a natural wound dressing with properties that artificial wound dressings do not possess.