Blast trauma, such as from injuries sustained during combat, can lead to internal bleeding in major organs including the brain. Currently, there are no treatments available to address internal bleeding in the field but early intervention is key or survival and better outcomes.
In a paper being published in Scientific Reports, UMBC researchers and collaborators investigated the role of nanoparticles they developed to stop internal bleeding on the damage inflicted by blast trauma. The team found that the nanoparticles increase blast trauma survival rates and reduce the anxiety that can accompany these injuries. The nanoparticles reduce the signs of inflammatory cells and neural cell death in the brain suggesting they help to protect the brain after blast trauma.
