Researchers have discovered a way to create a neural tourniquet that can prevent bleeding just by zapping a single nerve.
Researchers have discovered that stimulating a specific nerve could help patients maintain critical blood clotting mechanisms. This “neural tourniquet” could revolutionize how medical professionals approach surgical risks and reduce bleeding overall. The key to the tourniquet is the vagus nerve, a complex neural pathway connecting the brain to multiple organs. By delivering a precise electrical pulse to the nerve, scientists can trigger a remarkable biological response.
Volunteers who received targeted nerve stimulation showed increased markers of platelet activation in their blood samples. Surgical bleeding remains a significant medical challenge, marking the need for such a technique. Approximately 1.5 percent of surgeries currently experience complications related to excessive blood loss. Traditional methods like sutures and tourniquets are effective, but they address bleeding after it occurs. This neural tourniquet could proactively prevent it.
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Scientists reveal 'neural tourniquet' that can stop bleeding with nerve stimulationLiam Drew is a freelance science journalist covering neuroscience, biomedical research and most things biological. He writes regularly for Nature and its sister journals. His work has also appeared in New Scientist, The Guardian, Knowable, Aeon, Quanta and The Reader's Digest.
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