Transfusion Strategies in the Pre-Hospital Setting: Evaluating the Logistical Benefits of Pre-Hospital Whole Blood Transfusion, and a National Survey of Pre-Hospital Blood Transfusion

BackgroundPre-hospital blood component transfusion poses logistical challenges. Current patterns of pre-hospital blood use across the UK are not known. A potential benefit of providing a single combined component of whole blood is reduced need for multiple steps of administering separate components and more efficient use of time and resources by medical staff. .Objectivesto undertake a detailed time-analysis of the steps of pre-hospital combined component transfusion against separate blood component transfusion, and to determine current UK pre-hospital transfusion practice and users’ optimal pre-hospital transfusion strategyMethodsA three-arm cross-over major haemorrhage simulation study compared: flow-time (time from decision-to-transfuse [DTT] to complete transfusion); touch-time (direct team ’hands on’ contact time with transfusion process); and number of steps, people and equipment required for transfusion of 2 units of RCP [arm-A], 2 RBC + 2 TP [arm-B] or RBC + 2 Lyoplas [arm-C]). A national survey of current and optimal pre-hospital transfusion strategies was sent to 22 UK Air Ambulance Services (AAS) and 27 Major Trauma Centres (MTC) in December 2019. ResultsThe simulation demonstrated that arm-A had a shorter flow-time (median 6min 31sec vs. 12min 20 sec, vs 16min 29 sec) and touch-time (median 2min 31 seconds vs. 5min 21sec vs. 15min 3sec) than arm-B and arm-C respectively, and required fewer steps, equipment and checks. 18 MTCs and 18 AAS responded to the national survey (response rates of 67 and 82%). 10 transfused RBC/plasma (5 TP/5 Lyoplas), 4 RBC only, 2 Lyoplas only, 1 RBC/Lyoplas/Fibrinogen, and 1 ’red cell and plasma’ (only available at one hospital site). 89% replied that a combined component transfusion would be desirable, as it would reduce patient mortality (83%) and tasks on scene (75%). ConclusionThe time-analysis established the benefits for combined pre-hospital component transfusion in trauma patients. The national survey demonstrates the variation in current pre-hospital transfusion practice and reiterates that combined component transfusion pre-hospital may have logistical advantages over separate components.