Omaha – When a critically injured trauma patient comes to the Nebraska Medical Center, they are often losing blood quickly. Now, in partnership with the Nebraska Community Blood Bank, these patients will have a greater chance at survival thanks to the ability to administer whole blood. Nebraska Medical Center is the first hospital in the state, and one of only a few nationwide, to provide whole blood transfusions to these patients.
For the past 30 years or so, patients have almost exclusively been given three separate products – red blood cells, plasma and platelets. Using this component blood reduced waste, increased storage times and allowed a tailored approach to resuscitation. But when compared with the use of whole blood, which was used prior to 1970, the data showed the more recent approach wasn’t better for the trauma patient – especially for the trauma patient that’s quickly losing a lot of blood.
Whole blood does have the potential for incompatibility in patients with unknown blood types, but using a specially selected group of donors with type O blood essentially eliminates this risk. Stored whole blood also undergoes the same testing as components and is fully approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
This program has been made possible by the generosity of blood donors across Nebraska and neighboring states. To learn more about becoming a blood donor or to schedule a blood donation, visit the Nebraska Community Blood Bank at www.ncbb.org.
