I'll echo what others have said about QuikClot, Celox, and the now unavailable to civilians Trauma-Dex, in that all of these are near last resort options that should be deployed when you have difficulty controlling a severe bleed. These powder and granule products are most effective when they can be applied directly to the source of the bleed. In a lot of severe situations, the source is an artery. Being able to dig in an effectively 'dry' the site of an arterial bleed is next to impossible, hence a drawback of the QuiKClit with it's exothermic reaction. But, exothermic reaction or not, the QuikClot is reported to stop the bleeding. i guess burns can be dealt with, but the QuikClot's exothermic reaction sort of puts the 'do no harm' thing in question. For me, at least.
Also, if you haven't checked out the different manufacturer's sites, do so. It is good to know how each different product works. Even though all the products in question do the same thing (accelerate clot formation), they all work a little differently.
While the powder and granule products are ideal for the most severe bleeds in the field, they do require some thought to their actual application. The granules and powders are loose and fast moving, and the foil-type pouch is not the most precise applicator. Care must be taken so you can hit your target. Things happen very quickly in the heat of the moment, so it is best to know these things ahead of time. If you can obtain a sample or an expired product, it wouldn't be a bad idea to crack it open to see what you are dealing with.
An alternative to the hemostatic powder/granule products is the impregnated gauze products. There are several out there on the market, and they work in the same way, but have the prodcut on a gauze sponge to facilitate easier application. The only hemostatic gauze I am familiar with is the ActCel. The ActCel isn't just applied to the gauze, it is the gauze. When applied to a wound, the gauze turns into a glucose gel that expands and creates pressure on the bleed, thus acellerating the clotting time. From the ActCel website:
ActCel website said:
...ActCel effectively cuts down on clotting time, helps stabilize new clots by accelerating the formation of fibrin cross-linkages and increases whole blood viscosity, thus promoting the aggregation of red blood cells.
Th ActCel is completely absorbable into the body. I saw a demonstration of the product, and to prove how harmless the product was the rep ate a 2x4 piece of the ActCel gauze. The ActCel reportedly does breakdown into a saline and glucose gel. I wouldn't substitute it for food on the trail, though...
I have a few, and now expired, Trauma-Dex products in various kits. Because it is sealed in an applicator, and then sealed in a foil pouch, I am confident that the product will still perform as expected if needed. However, I do intend to replace my Trauma-Dex with the Celox and a few ActCel sponges.
Let it be known that I, as an EMS professional, have not had an opportunity, nor a need, to deploy these products in an actual field situation. Again, I reitterate that I believe these products to be near last resort options; when direct pressure and elevation fail, but to be deployed if I need to resort to arterial pressure points for bleeding control. Although I sincerely hope I do not need to use these hemostatic agents, I like knowing that they are around. Same goes for my Epi-Pen/Twinject.
FWIW.
