Expanding foam could stop internal bleeding The polyurethane
polymer foam can expand to 30 times their original volume
(Source: DARPA) Life saver US researchers have developed a spray
foam that can be injected into a wounded soldier's abdominal
cavity to help stop internal bleeding. When soldiers are wounded
on the battlefield, getting them to advanced-level treatment
facilities within the first 60 minutes of injury often makes the
difference between life and death. During this 'golden hour',
internal bleeding - particularly in the abdominal cavity - is
life-threatening because there is little that can be done to
stop the bleeding. Internal wounds can't be compressed like
external wounds, nor can they be treated with tourniquets and
haemostatic dressings, which require a medic to access to the
injury in order to dress it. A team of researchers at the
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) hopes their
new foam can help the wounded survive until they get to
treatment facilities. The polyurethane poly