When you can’t take Cold Stored whole blood with you and not all of your soldiers are titered, a walking blood bank can mean the difference between life and death for a patient in hemorrhagic shock. With the mounting evidence suggesting early blood is essential and not just a good idea, you need to have a plan in order to hit the 30 minute target. I have seen students struggle for hours trying to get access in both the patient and the donor. An emphasis on early recognition and early access will save lives.
So what is different than what we already have in the THOR recommendations, the JTS DCR clinical Practice Guideline and the Ranger Regiment TDCR? No hextend?! Calcium with the 1st unit of blood?! TXA slow push?! What if the patient is not responding to resuscitation efforts? This is a guideline truly written for the Medic working despite lack of help or resources in an austere environment…
75th Ranger Regiment medic – combat trauma management training
This article is a nice review of where we are (U.S. – and Norwegian – SOF) now in implementing a FWB program. It also gives good background and a simple algorithm of when to pull the trigger to initiate FWB transfusions.
In PFC, we may not have the luxury of confirmed typing and anti-A, anti-B titering, but rapid screening and typing at the point of care, as per the TMEPs protocol, should be adequate for “contingency” use of FWB.
