Absorbable gelatin hemostatic sponge (Gelfoam)
A porous, pliable, sterile sponge made of purified porcine gelatin, off-white or tan in color, supplied dry as compressed sheets, blocks, or a powder that can be cut or shaped to size.
How it is used
Placed or packed onto a bleeding surface (e.g., raw bone, liver, or soft tissue) as a topical absorbable hemostat; on contact with blood or fluid it swells and forms a mechanical scaffold that supports clot formation, and is fully resorbed by the body over several weeks.
Clinical tip
Pre-moisten it with sterile saline (dry, it does not conform well and can act as a wick), and avoid over-packing a closed space, since it expands considerably once it absorbs fluid and can compress nearby structures (e.g., a nerve or the spinal canal).
Sources
This entry is part of the Instriq catalog, researched and written per specialty from real web research -- never generated or invented without verification -- and reviewed skeptically and independently before publication. How this catalog is written.
Image: Jaydeep Ratani. License CC BY-SA 4.0. View original source.
History
Added to the catalog on 2026-10-05. Content last updated: 2026-10-07.
Dates derived from the project's public version-control history on GitHub, not a live collaborative edit log.