1. What is Celox?
Celox is a very effective hemostat granule optimised to stop bleeding fast. It is made of a proprietary composition which contains chitosan. Chitosan is a natural polymer extracted from shrimp shells and highly purified. Celox’s composition is protected by 3 patents.
2. How does Celox work to stop bleeding?
Celox™ granules are very high surface area flakes. When they come in contact with blood, Celox™ swells, gels, and sticks together to make a gel like clot, without generating any heat. It works independently of the body’s normal clotting mechanism, works in hypothermic conditions and clots blood containing the blood-thinning drug heparin1. More about how Celox blood clotting agents work.
3. Where can I get the product?
Celox is sold through a network of distributors. To find out who represents Celox in your area, please contact celoxenquiries@medtrade.co.uk with details about your intended use.
4. Is Celox a Pharmaceutical?
No. Celox is classified and regulated by the FDA as an unclassified Medical Device.
5. Will Celox stop severe bleeding?
Yes, if applied to the bleeding vessel Celox can stop severe bleeding from a severed artery. This has been tested by the US military and shown in actual battlefield use. Celox is proven in the field to stop life threatening bleeding fast.
6. Will Celox granules clot blood containing anticoagulants such as Coumadin or Heparin?
Yes, Celox has been tested and shown to clot blood containing warfarin (Coumadin) and heparin1.
7. Will Celox clot hypothermic blood?
Yes, it will stop bleeding in cold conditions. Celox has been tested and proven to clot blood as cool as 65° Fahrenheit1.
8. Can Celox be easily removed from a wound?
Yes. In cases of emergency bleeding, Celox should be left in the wound to stop bleeding until the patient is seen by medical personnel. It can then be easily removed. Remove as much of the gel like clot as possible by hand, then irrigate the wound with water or saline. In cases of minor bleeding Celox can be removed once the wound has stabilized. This can be as short as 10 minutes. Irrigate with water or saline. Chitosan is a natural polysaccharide (polymer made of sugars) and made of basic sugars (glucosamine & n-acetyl glucosamine). Celox™ does NOT use non degrading procoagulant minerals or nano particles such as kaolin, smectite or zeolite, which will remain in the body indefinitely unless physically removed.
9. What Shelf life does Celox have?
Celox has a 5 year shelf life at manufacture. We have tested and proven that Celox will still pass its original specification after 5 years ageing.
10. Can I use Celox past its shelf life?
No. The efficacy of Celox products cannot be guaranteed past the expiry date found on the packaging.
11. How much is needed to treat a severe wound?
All wounds are different but the 5-foot gauze has been tested and stopped bleeding from a major artery, as has the 15 g granules. The larger sized 10 foot Celox Gauze, give additional security for more complex injuries or multiple wounds on one casualty.
12. Is Celox suitable to stop bleeding on minor wounds?
Celox is cleared for minor bleeding. There are a range of reasons why a “minor” bleed might be difficult to stop, or instances where time is crucial (for example in sports).
13. Will Celox adversely affect later wound healing?
No. Celox has been tested to show that wound healing continues normally after its use22.
14. Does Celox generate heat?
No, Celox hemostatic products do not generate heat. Celox has been independently tested and shown not to generate any increase in heat during blood clotting.
15. How is Celox used?
Celox use is easy. For Celox Gauze:
- Pack any cavity with Celox Gauze.
- Press. Compress the wound to push the Celox Gauze on the area where the blood is coming from and stop blood flow for a short period while the Celox plug develops and strengthens.
For Celox Granules:
- Pour granules on to the area of the wound.
- Pack – cover the granules with gauze and fill any remaining cavity with gauze.
- Press. Compress the wound to push the Celox into place and stop blood flow for a short period while the Celox clot develops and strengthens.
See packaging for complete instructions for use.
The amount of time and pressure required depends on the pressure at which blood is coming out of the body. For minor wounds, finger tip pressure for one minute is recommended. For severe bleeding strong pressure is used for 3 minutes (with Celox Gauze) or up to 5 minutes (with granules). Should a wound start to re-bleed (and you believe Celox was put over the bleeding area) then just hold pressure for longer. If you suspect Celox is no longer contacting the area where the bleeding is coming from, then remove and apply a fresh pack. Additional packs can be used if required.
16. Are there any contraindications?
Celox is not intended for internal (surgical) use. Celox should not be used in the eyes. It is not indicated for use in the mouth.
17. What happens if I get Celox granules in my eyes?
Do not apply Celox over eyes. If eye irritation occurs, flush the eyes with water for 5 minutes and repeat if irritation continues. Celox absorbs moisture when in contact with fluid and can absorb moisture from the surface of the eyes which causes irritation.
Flushing with water will carry away any Celox granules, and saturate any granules halting its ability to absorb moisture.
For the latest Safety Data Sheets please follow this link – Click here
18. Which is the best Celox product for me to use?
The best version depends on your application. The best place to start is to read the product section at the foot of the relevant users’ page, whether Military, Law Enforcement, Hospitals, Emergency Medical Services, Remote Medicine or Public Access. These describe the most relevant products for each user.
19. Do people with shellfish allergies have allergic reaction to Celox as a result of the chitosan?
There have been no known or suspected allergic reactions as a result of using Celox since its launch in 2006. The chitosan has been extensively tested on individuals with suspected and confirmed shellfish allergy, none of the test subjects demonstrated any dermal sensitivity when tested against the chitosan material.
20. What happens if I accidentally consume Celox?
Do not eat. Celox is non-toxic but not recommended for consumption. Celox absorbs moisture when in contact with fluid and can absorb moisture from the gut which may cause discomfort.
If ingested, drink copious amounts of water to avoid any discomfort.
21. Is Celox a powder?
No, Celox granules are macroscopic granular flakes prepared from Chitosan, a material derived from Chitin which is found naturally in crustacean exoskeleton or shell. Celox is different from some other hemostatic agents that contain minerals such as Zeolite or Kaolin that are released as nanoscale powders when in contact with fluid.
22. How do I store Celox?
Celox products should be stored in dry conditions at ambient temperature and no special storage conditions are required or indicated on the product labelling. Stability studies of Celox products stored at temperatures of 60°C and 40°C and freeze-thaw studies have been completed with no detrimental results to product or packaging reported.
Discard any remaining product after use as sterility will be compromised.
Reuse potentially poses a risk of infection.
23. How many times can you use Celox to treat wounds and how many wounds?
Celox products are provided sterile for single use. Celox can be used to treat several wounds on one casualty. Do not store unused opened packs of Celox for later use. Products sterility and performance may be affected.
24. Can I use Celox on the Head or Neck?
Celox can be used on the head (for injuries outside of the skull) and neck. Refer to your clinical guidelines and or training, for example: Treatment of injuries in these areas needs to consider the airway and major blood vessels that supply the brain and the risk of applying pressure to the brain and nervous tissue in the event of a fracture. Celox is not approved for use inside of the mouth.
25. Can I use Celox on the Chest or abdomen?
Wounds to the chest or abdomen are generally classed as non-compressible. Most guidelines e.g. TCCC say do not use hemostatics on non-compressible wounds. Refer to your clinical guidelines and or training. In an extreme situation this requires clinical judgement. Use of Celox on this part of the body is not contraindicated. For penetrating chest injuries the recommended treatment to prevent tension pneumothorax is to use an occlusive seal such as Foxseal.
26. Does Celox work on patients with Haemophilia / Von Willebrand Disease?
Von Willebrand disease is a genetic disorder caused by missing or defective Von Willebrand Factor (VWF) a clotting protein. VWF binds factor VIII, a key clotting protein, and platelets in blood vessel walls, which help form a platelet plug during the clotting process.
Celox works by purely physically means and does not rely on the body’s own blood clotting mechanisms36. While we do not have testing on patients with Haemophilia, Celox has been tested on blood containing Warfarin and Heparin as well as being tested on hypothermic blood. In all of these cases Celox continued to work as well as on normal blood.
27. How long can Celox be left in place in a wound?
Celox can safely be left on a wound for up to 24 hours however do not delay moving patient to definitive care. Case reports have shown Celox has been left in place for 24 hours where there was no re-bleed or leakage. We recommend leaving Celox in place until the patient is moved to definitive care.
