Biosensor for the Precision Treatment of Trauma Patients with Severe Haemorrhage

A new bedside device will read a trauma patient’s clotting status in minutes, telling clinicians exactly which treatment to give for uncontrolled bleeding. Traumatic injury is the leading cause of death among young people worldwide. When patients lose large amounts of blood, their natural clotting mechanisms break down—a condition called coagulopathy—which can lead to fatal haemorrhage. Clinicians in fast-moving emergency settings currently lack a rapid, precise way to measure clotting function at the bedside, so they often rely on broad transfusion protocols that may not match the patient’s specific needs. If the biosensor succeeds, it will bring clotting test results to the bedside within minutes, allowing doctors to select the best treatment for each patient immediately. This could reduce the number of blood transfusions needed in all but the most severely injured patients, saving blood products and cutting costs in resource-intensive trauma care. The device is being developed by Highland Biosciences Limited, the NIHR Diagnostic Evidence Co-operative London, and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.