SBIR Phase I: An innovative point-of-care device that can rapidly detect and diagnose trauma-induced coagulopathy

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will facilitate technological development of a point-of-care device to measure the forces of platelets from whole blood during clotting. Trauma accounts for nearly 5 million deaths per year worldwide and 17 deaths per hour in the U.S. These deaths arise from an extensive loss of blood due to trauma-induced coagulopathy (TIC), which is a systemic impairment of hemostasis (blood clotting) caused by severe injury. The current SBIR Phase I award will fund a feasibility study on the ability to measure platelet forces during coagulation by a magnetic-based sensor. The specific technical goal of this SBIR Phase I proposal is to improve the signal detection of our magnetic-based sensor. Successful completion of these objectives will enable a Phase II project that will demonstrate the ability of this technology to detect clotting dysfunction in trauma patients on a personalized basis, as well as patients on anti-platelet and or anti-coagulation medications. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be to reduce preventable deaths of often young, productive members of society. Trauma is the most imporatn cause of death among young people (age group 1-45 years) and costs $135B in healthcare dollars annually. Excessive bleeding in a trauma patient is a major reason for deaths and medical costs. Excessive bleeding is often made worse by coagulopathy, which is the inability of a patient?s blood to coagulate and properly seal bleeding wounds. Currently, acute trauma-induced coagulopathy (TIC) occurs in 1 in 4 severe trauma cases, but is hard to detect and treat. As a consequence, an emergency department physician must make a semi-blind decision on which transfusion products or drugs to administer to a patient in order to stop the bleeding based upon their training, past experience, and vague clinical guidelines and must act upon their decision within the ?golden hour? (i.e. roughly 60 minutes after injury) to have the best likelihood to save lives, reduce morbidity, and reduce hospital costs.