I-Corps: Bleed Freeze

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Nosebleeds are one of the most common ear, nose, and throat emergencies. They are very messy, bloody, anxiety provoking experiences that could be easily managed at home if treated appropriately. Sixty percent of the world population, over 4 billion people, will experience a nosebleed in their lifetime. Nosebleeds are most common in children 2-10 years old and adults 50-80 years old. Certain high-risk groups, such as the elderly, require rapid intervention to stem bleeding and prevent further complications. In the United States, nosebleeds account for approximately 1 in 200 emergency room (ER) visits. This amounts to over 500,000 visits to the ER annually, 90% of which are safely sent home. ER visits for nosebleeds are responsible for an annual healthcare cost of more than $350,000,000. Most nosebleeds will resolve if the proper steps are taken. They should be treated by applying appropriate pressure to the soft side walls of the nose, for 15 to 20 minutes without interruption, and positioning the head slightly forward. While this sounds simple, it is hard to do. At home children and elderly may easily tire, forget, or not understand these steps. This I-Corps team has developed the "Bleed Freeze," a simple and effective device to help control nosebleeds in children and adults. Bleed Freeze combines compression, cooling, and medication - the mainstays of treating nosebleeds, into a single convenient device that can be used in hospitals, clinics or at home. The device comes in adjustable sizes and applies constant hands-free pressure to the soft side walls of the nose, incorporates cooling to help constrict vessels, adds an over the counter medication to further control bleeding, and is designed to apply adequate pressure to the nose for the appropriate amount of time. Bleed Freeze provides value to three different customer segments: medical providers, schools/sports medicine professionals and parents, caretakers or individuals who suffer from frequent nosebleeds. It is valuable to medical providers by reducing the time and resources needed to effectively treat their patients in busy clinical settings. It is useful for coaches, trainers and school nurses who need access to easy-to-use nosebleed treatment. Even at home, parents and elderly can benefit from Bleed Freeze's comfortable and inexpensive solution to nosebleeds which can reduce or eliminate costly visits to the emergency room or doctor?s office. Bleed Freeze has the potential to become a household name for nosebleed rescue.