Importance

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Abstract

A fibrogen-free substrate having as a hemostatic agent on a surface thereof a mixture of a clot-promoting amount of thrombin and an amount of epsilon aminocaproic acid (EACA) effective to accelerate the rate of blood clotting induced by the thrombin is useful as a hemostatic patch which is safe, inexpensive and which rapidly controls bleeding from a wound. A patch which rapidly stanches the flow of blood from a lesion on a parenchymal organ by pressing it against the surface of the organ for 3-5 minutes, is produced by applying thrombin, EACA and CaCl.sub.2 to a rigid sheet of biodegradable foam, such as an absorbable gelatin sponge, and compressing the dry sheet to produce a flexible sheet which conforms to the contour of the organ without the necessity of pre-moistening. The EACA raises the pH of the acidic fluid associated with the wound and thereby accelerates the activation of the thrombin.

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First Claim