A young designer has come up with a device he hopes could be used in emergency situations to save hundreds of victims of knife crime.
Joseph Bentley hopes his REACT technology will one day be used to plug stab wounds in the crucial first few minutes after an attack.
The final year Loughborough University product design and technology student said he had friends who had been stabbing victims so knows the horrendous impact it can have on lives.
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Government figures show 221 people died from stab wounds in England and Wales in the year to September 2019.
Stabbing victims can bleed to death in five minutes, so the priority for first responders is to control blood loss as quickly as possible.
It is hoped that police officers – often the first emergency personnel at a scene – will one day be among those issued with the REACT devices for use before paramedics arrive.
The system is currently at the prototype stage, and going through the patent application process.
REACT, which stands for rapid emergency actuated tamponade, has two parts – a medical-grade silicone sleeve, which is the tamponade, and a handheld controller called an actuator.
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It is designed for use on open wounds as impaled objects should be left inside the victim as they can already help stem bleeding.
The tamponade element would be pushed into the wound then connected to the actuator, which would be programmed to provide the right level of inflation depending on where the wound is.
The prototype is currently designed for use in the abdomen or so-called ‘junctional wounds’, such as in the armpit and groin areas.
Joseph said he was working on getting the battery power right and perfecting the required air pressure required as well as making devices that could work on other parts of the body.
He said: “I know several friends who have been the unfortunate victims of knife crime, thankfully none of the incidents were fatal.
“I am haunted almost daily by news of someone who has lost their lives because of knife crime; there were five murders in three days this spring bank holiday. It’s horrifying.
“The simple application and automated inflation procedure of the REACT system makes it a game-changer for first responders.
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“The tamponade can be in place and stopping a haemorrhage in under a minute, saving hundreds of lives a year, and as the tamponade is suitable for large cavities like the abdomen, it is also easier and faster to remove than current methods used to stop bleeding, giving the patient the best chance in reconstructive surgery.
“Medical device development takes a long time, but hopefully in a few years the REACT system will be used to control the bleeding in victims of knife crime and save lives.
“I’m hoping one day it will be carried by all emergency services - police, ambulance staff, even the military, but the absolute goal is to get this product in use as soon as possible.”
Joseph is showcasing the REACT system as part of his end of year degree show at the north Leicestershire university.