Width decides what you can pack. A one-inch ribbon goes down a narrow wound track to the bleeding source, and the technique is the same as every other packing gauze.
At a glance
12 things to know about CELOX Rapid Ribbon
What the narrow format is for, what the 60-second label means, and what the CELOX Rapid studies found.
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01
CELOX Rapid, one inch wide
Medtrade describes the Ribbon as bringing all the benefits of CELOX Rapid Gauze in a 1-inch strip.3 The label calls it a hemostatic Z-fold gauze with Chito-R™ technology, one strip 1 in. × 5 ft (2.5 cm × 1.5 m).2
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02
Built for narrow wound tracks
Medtrade designed the reduced size for narrow entry wounds such as bullet, blast fragment and stab injuries.3 The pack itself is low-profile and easily concealed.3
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03
How Chito-R works
Chito-R™ activated chitosan granules stick to wet tissue in the wound and form an adhesive gel that seals it and stops the flow of blood.3 Medtrade describes CELOX chitosan as working independently of the body's clotting cascade.3
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04
The 60-second label
Medtrade's instructions call for firm pressure directly on the wound for 60 seconds, and additional pressure until the bleeding stops if it persists.2 Medtrade's laboratory trials found the Ribbon stopped major arterial bleeding by coagulating the blood within 60 seconds.2
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05
How the label fits with TCCC
The TCCC Guidelines set at least 3 minutes of direct pressure for every hemostatic dressing.1 The two figures do not compete — both are minimums. Neither one is a reason to take your hands off a wound that is still bleeding.
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06
Cold blood
Medtrade's laboratory testing found the granules effective in blood temperatures down to 56 °F (13 °C).2
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07
FDA-cleared
The Ribbon is FDA-cleared under 510(k) K110386, CELOX Rapid Gauze, cleared in May 2011 for temporary external use to control moderate to severe bleeding.4
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08
evidence-based standard
CELOX Rapid Ribbon is evidence-based standard, alongside CELOX Rapid and Celox Gauze in the CELOX chitosan family. Combat Gauze remains the evidence-based hemostatic dressing of choice.1
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09
The CELOX Rapid evidence is mixed — read both studies
The published animal studies tested 3 in. CELOX Rapid, the parent gauze. In 36 swine with no pressure held after packing, success was statistically the same for plain gauze, Combat Gauze and CELOX Rapid, and CELOX Rapid packed fastest with the least secondary blood loss.7 In 21 swine with a 3-minute hold, Combat Gauze held at one hour in every animal and CELOX Rapid in 60%.8
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10
Coagulopathy and prolonged care
In coagulopathic swine, CELOX Rapid performed comparably to Combat Gauze;9 in a second coagulopathic study its re-bleed rate was 17% in both a junctional and a liver model, with no significant difference among the five agents tested.10 In a 24-hour junctional model, 60% of swine treated with CELOX Rapid survived, the same as Combat Gauze.11
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11
Shellfish allergy is rarely the issue
The Ribbon contains chitosan from shellfish, and Medtrade reports that allergy studies show no adverse reaction to date.2 In a challenge study, ten volunteers with confirmed shellfish allergy tolerated a chitosan bandage without reaction.12 In a life-threatening bleed, a reported shellfish allergy is not a reason to withhold it.
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12
Two packaging options, one dressing
Tactical Dark Green (FG08839041) and MARCH red, the pack made for Safeguard Medical's RAMPART™ color-coded system (FG05839141), are packaging choices only; the 1 in. × 5 ft Chito-R ribbon inside is the same, under NSN 6510-01-623-9442.3,5,6
How to pack CELOX Rapid Ribbon
Medtrade's instructions and the technique taught in TCCC, TECC and public bleeding-control courses, in order.
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1Find the source. Expose the wound, identify the point of bleeding and apply direct pressure. Swab away excess blood where practical.2
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2Open the pack. Tear it open, take out the Ribbon and take hold of one end of the Z-folded gauze.2
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3Start with a tight wad. Make the first folds into a firm ball — the "power ball" — and press it directly onto the bleeding source.
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4Pack to the source. Feed the unfolding Ribbon in tightly, keeping pressure on what is already packed. Fill every corner until the wound is filled above skin level; cut or tear off the excess.2
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5Hold firm pressure. At least 60 seconds per the Celox label, or at least 3 minutes if you work under TCCC1,2 — and in every case until the bleeding has stopped.
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6Lock it in. Secure the packing with a pressure bandage so pressure stays on the wound, and discard any unused Ribbon.2
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7If it keeps bleeding, repack. Remove the packing and pack again with a fresh dressing, the same type or another hemostatic.1 Piling more gauze on top of a failed pack does not fix it.
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8Hand it off. Get the casualty to a medical facility, tell the receiving team a chitosan hemostatic is in the wound, and show them the empty pack.2
Where it fits
- Narrow entry wounds — bullet, blast fragment and stab injuries — with life-threatening bleeding3
- Junctional wounds — groin and armpit — where a limb tourniquet cannot be applied1
- Neck wounds, packed with care so the airway is not compressed; the lower neck above the collarbone can be packed
- Deep limb wounds where a tourniquet is not possible, or as an adjunct when a trained provider converts a tourniquet1
- The chest or abdomen — never pack into the chest or abdominal cavity2
- Wounds you cannot compress — packing needs pressure to work2
- Life-threatening limb bleeding a tourniquet can control — tourniquet first1
- Wide, open cavities — a 3 in. gauze such as CELOX Rapid or Celox Gauze fills them faster
- The eyes — keep the dressing away from the eyes2
The evidence
The studies behind the claims above. All animal studies tested 3 in. CELOX Rapid, the parent gauze.
| Study | Evidence type | What was studied | What it found |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waibel et al., Mil Med 2011 | Human · safety challenge | HemCon chitosan bandage applied to 10 volunteers with confirmed shellfish allergy | All tolerated the bandage without reaction; no protein detected in the chitosan |
| Kunio et al., Am J Surg 2013 | Animal · randomized | CELOX Rapid (parent gauze) vs Combat Gauze vs plain gauze, femoral artery injury, 36 swine, no pressure held after packing | Success not statistically different (12/12, 10/12, 10/12); secondary blood loss median 12.8 mL vs 31.9 mL vs 44.7 mL; packing 37.1 s vs 43.5 s vs 45.2 s |
| Johnson & Johnson, Am J Disaster Med 2019 | Animal · randomized | CELOX Rapid (parent gauze) vs Combat Gauze, 6 mm femoral artery injury, 21 swine, 3-minute hold plus simulated pressure dressing | Initial hemostasis 70% vs 100%; 60% vs 100% at one hour — favored Combat Gauze |
| Gerling et al., J Trauma Acute Care Surg 2023 | Animal · coagulopathy | CELOX Rapid (parent gauze) and six other agents vs Combat Gauze, coagulopathic swine junctional injury | Most agents, including CELOX Rapid, comparable to Combat Gauze |
| Patterson et al., PLoS One 2025 | Animal · coagulopathy | CELOX Rapid (parent gauze) and four other agents, femoral and liver injuries in 60 hemodiluted swine | CELOX Rapid re-bleed 17% in both models; no significant difference in hemostasis, re-bleeding or survival among agents |
| Booms et al., Mil Med 2026 | Animal · prolonged field care | CELOX Rapid (parent gauze) and other dressings, fatal junctional femoral injury in swine, up to 24 hours | CELOX Rapid survival 14.9 ± 12.4 h, 60% at 24 h — the same rate as Combat Gauze |
Strongest to weakest: human studies, then animal studies, then laboratory studies. The two oldest swine studies reached different conclusions because they tested different things — one with no pressure held after packing, one with a 3-minute hold and a pressure dressing.
How it compares
How the Ribbon sits against the other packing gauzes a buyer weighs.
| Celox Rapid Ribbon | Celox Rapid | Celox Gauze 10 ft | Combat Gauze | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strip | 1 in. × 5 ft Z-fold | 3 in. × 5 ft Z-fold | 3 in. × 10 ft Z-fold | 3 in. × 4 yd (12 ft) |
| Active agent | Chito-R™ chitosan granules | Chito-R™ chitosan granules | CELOX chitosan granules | Kaolin (mineral) |
| Pressure hold | 60 s labeled; TCCC at least 3 min | 60 s labeled; TCCC at least 3 min | 3 min labeled; TCCC at least 3 min | TCCC at least 3 min |
| Built for | Narrow entry wounds — bullet, blast fragment, stab | Packable wounds, fast packing | Large, deep cavities | Packable wounds |
| evidence-based standard | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes — hemostatic dressing of choice |
| Shellfish-derived | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Celox labeled times come from Medtrade's instructions; the TCCC Guidelines set at least 3 minutes of direct pressure for any hemostatic dressing.1 Whatever the label, keep pressure on until the bleeding has stopped.
Build the system
The rest of the CELOX system, the alternatives, the bandage that holds the packing in, and trainers to practice on.
Questions buyers ask
Package & specifications
Available Options:
- MARCH Red Packaging
- Tactical Dark Green
Specifications coming soon. Contact us for detailed product information.
Domestic & Military Shipping
Free Standard Shipping: Automatically applied at checkout on all orders $200 and above within the 48 contiguous United States (CONUS).
APO/FPO Military Addresses: Unconditionally free standard shipping on every order, with no minimum purchase required.
Order Processing & Tracking
Fulfillment Timeline: In stock merchandise ships within 48-72 hours from Florida HQ.
Automated carrier tracking details are emailed immediately upon shipment dispatch.
30-Day Returns & Medical Safety
Returns: Unused, unopened equipment in original manufacturer packaging is eligible for return within 30 days of delivery.
Bio-Safety Notice: To ensure sterility and patient safety, medical consumables with opened or broken tamper-evident seals cannot be returned.
Return Facility: MED-TAC International Corp., 15757 Pines Blvd, Suite 154, Pembroke Pines, FL 33027.
Export Compliance
North American Rescue (NAR) products and rifle hard armor plates are strictly restricted to US and APO/FPO addresses and cannot be exported internationally.
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