Absorption
The matrix takes up to 2,500% of its initial weight in blood and remains actively absorbent in the wound for up to 24 hours — not a single-shot uptake that saturates and stops.
Technology
The material is the mechanism
Most hemostatic dressings are an inert carrier impregnated with an active agent. WoundClot® has no active agent — the cellulose structure itself is engineered to be hemostatic.
01 — Base technology
Non-oxidized, non-regenerated cellulose
Cellulose has been used in surgical hemostasis for more than seventy-five years, but conventional cellulose hemostats are produced by oxidizing the fiber. Oxidization breaks the cellulose structure down, and in doing so sharply reduces three properties that matter at the bleeding site: how much fluid the dressing can take up, how firmly it holds to tissue, and how long it stays functional.
WoundClot® is manufactured under a patented process that leaves the cellulose structure intact — non-oxidized and non-regenerated (NONRCS). It is the only product of its kind available anywhere in the world.
No active ingredient
Because the substrate is inherently hemostatic, WoundClot® requires no impregnated agent. There is no kaolin, chitosan, collagen, silica or thrombin — and therefore no mineral to leach, no particulate to shed and no shellfish-derived protein to consider.
Composition
| Base Material | 100% plant-derived cellulose |
|---|---|
| Structure | Non-oxidized, non-regenerated (NONRCS) |
| Active Ingredient | None — material is inherently hemostatic |
| Contains | No inorganic minerals, shellfish, botanicals, phthalates or latex |
| Thermal Reaction | None — non-oxidative, no exothermic response |
| Operating Range | −10 °C to 40 °C |
| Shelf Life | 5 years |
| Sterility | Sterile, single use, peel-open pouch |
02 — Conversion
Dry gauze to 3D gel matrix
On contact with blood, the dressing converts from a dry, flexible gauze into a thick, tenacious, expanding three-dimensional gel. It is that structure — stable, strong and pliant — that makes four simultaneous mechanisms possible.
Stage 01 · Dry
Intact cellulose structure
An open, flexible weave. Because the cellulose is neither oxidized nor regenerated, its capacity to absorb and to adhere is preserved.
Stage 02 · Contact
Expansion into a 3D gel matrix
On contact with blood the structure swells, absorbing up to 2,500% of its weight and concentrating platelets, red cells and clotting factors within the matrix.
Stage 03 · Hemostasis
Stable adherent clot
The matrix grips surrounding tissue and holds under high-pressure bleeding. It remains actively absorbent for up to 24 hours and is lifted away without re-bleeding.
Schematic representation of the mechanism as described by the manufacturer. Not to scale; not a micrograph. Clinical photographs of the dressing in use appear on the overview page.
Adhesion
The gel conforms to and grips the surrounding tissue. It is not dislodged by patient movement, by manipulation of the wound, or by high-pressure arterial bleeding.
Aggregation
As plasma is drawn off, platelets, red blood cells and clotting factors are concentrated within the matrix, producing local conditions favourable to clot formation.
Activation
Engineered functional molecular groups act on the intrinsic pathway, converting Factor XI (plasma thromboplastin antecedent) and Factor XII (Hageman factor) to XIa and XIIa.
By contrast, mineral-based hemostats act through a single mechanism — activation of Factor XII — and chitosan-based hemostats act through a single mechanism — electrostatic attraction of negatively charged red blood cells to a positively charged agent.
03 — At the bedside
What this changes in practice
Pressure
No prolonged, heavy adjunctive pressure is required. Hand weight or simple placement pressure is sufficient — which frees a provider's hands during a resuscitation and removes a common source of application failure.
Removal
The dressing is removed by lifting the clot. Re-bleeding does not occur on removal, and any residual gel irrigates out of the wound bed — in contrast to mineral-based products, which are associated with re-bleeding when stripped away.
Anticoagulated patients
Because hemostasis does not depend solely on an intact platelet response, WoundClot® is effective in patients on warfarin, aspirin or heparin, and in patients presenting with coagulopathy.
Handling
The gel adheres to wound surfaces, not to gloves or instruments — a practical difference from oxidized regenerated cellulose, which has a known tendency to stick where it is not wanted.
Conformability
The dressing conforms and adheres to any anatomical shape and can be used anywhere on the body, including on mucous membranes — nasal and oral bleeding included.
Training burden
Application is intuitive and requires minimal instruction — a material consideration where the product may be applied by junior residents, agency nursing staff or first responders under operational pressure.
Indications for use
WoundClot® Hemostatic Gauze is indicated for the temporary control of mild, moderate and severe external bleeding, and for bleeding at operative, post-operative and donor sites. It is cleared to remain in the wound for up to 24 hours and must be removed prior to closure.
Device classification
WoundClot® is FDA cleared and prescription-only in the United States, and is not a US Class III surgical implantable device. In the European Union and other territories it holds CE Class III surgical implantable status in sizes up to 4" × 4".
See the clinical evidence
Peer-reviewed publications, biocompatibility summaries and case reports covering orthopedic, spinal, ENT and oncologic use.