Associate Professor UT Health / EMS Medical Director UTHSCSA San Antonio, Texas
Description: Whole blood is thought to be the ideal resuscitation fluid for the hemorrhaging patient. Prehospital whole blood and blood component availability is quickly expanding, however this therapy is fairly new to EMS and transfusion triggers are neither clearly defined nor universal. The San Antonio Fire Department EMS has almost four years of whole blood experience with nearly a thousand prehospital transfusions. This course will present several real-life case scenarios of patients that received, or potentially could have received, prehospital whole blood. Trauma, gastrointestinal, obstetric and other medical bleeding that result in hypovolemic shock likely benefit from transfusion. But, what are the risks? We will discuss special circumstances that impact the risk-benefit balance of prehospital whole blood.
Learning Objectives:
Upon completion, participant will be able to define transfusion triggers for prehospital whole blood
Upon completion, participant will be able to describe the clinical benefit and risks of prehospital whole blood
Upon completion, participant will be able to describe at least four patient types where blood may benefit
