QuikClot Combat Gauze and Why It Belongs In Your First Aid Kit

A while back, I added QuikClot Combat Gauze to all my first aid kits, after talking with some of the local firefighters.  While I was in Utah recently I got to attend a class at the Preparedness Expo put on by the Utah State University.  This class confirmed that I had made the right decision.

QuikClot has been proven on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan; it has an amazing ability to treat hemorrhaging wounds.  QuikClot Combat Gauze is impregnated with kaolin, an ingredient that stops bleeding fast when applied with pressure.  QuikClot Combat Gauze is different from the old QuikClot that contained zeolite which is no longer used by the military.  The QuikClot Combat Gauze does not create the complication of the original.  Its use is currently recommended by the military’s committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care.

In the class, they stressed the advantages of using QuikClot Combat Gauze for serious bleeding in place of a tourniquet.  Tourniquets are effective in many areas of the body, but have limitations in certain areas such as the groin.  Plus tourniquets have to be released every 15 minutes or you can risk the loss of a limb.

For arterial bleeding this is usually characterized by bright red, squirting, blood.  They suggested that you shove the QuikClot Combat Gauze directly into the wound on the side closest to the heart.  In other words, pack it in where the blood is squirting out until the bleeding stops.  Then apply a dressing to hold it in place and help prevent infection.

Now I would try direct pressure prior to using the QuikClot.  You can sometimes get a lot of blood from a small wound that can be handled be direct pressure and normal dressings.  If you have to use QuikClot Combat Gauze you should not remove it prior to getting medical help.

Remember that I am not a Doctor and have no special medical training.  I recommend that you get training from a qualified person on the correct way to use QuikClot Combat Gauze.

Howard

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