Seafood in the E.R

Science World, May 7, 2007 by Jennifer Cutraro

Shrimp fishermen's daily catch is usually destined for the dinner plate. But shellfish are now winding up in an unusual place: the emergency room. Some doctors are applying bandages made from a substance found in shrimp shells to help stop life-threatening bleeding.

The bandages contain chitosan (KITE-oh-sin), a material in shrimps' exoskeletons, or outer shells. When chitosan comes in contact with blood, it turns gummy, helping to seal a bleeding blood vessel, says Staci McAdams, vice president of marketing for the bandage's developer HemCon Medical Technologies. It also helps blood clot quicker: The stickiness of the dressing promotes the formation of a mesh-like web of red blood cells (cells that carry oxygen in the blood) and platelets (particles that help blood clot).

But don't expect to slap the new bandage on a skinned knee: At more than $90 each, they're only for serious injuries.