Life saving technology pioneered on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan will now help save lives in the San Antonio area in a first of its kind program in Texas, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
Elizabeth Waltman, COO of the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center, says the 'Brothers in Arms' program will enable air medical crews to administer special pre-hospital transfusions of whole blood, which is proven to counter blood loss and dramatically improve survival rates when tested in battlefield situations.
Waltman says currently, Air Life helicopter crews administer platelets and red cells, but they have to wait until they get to the hospital to receive infusions of whole blood, and Waltman says frequently, patients can't wait that long.
"The research has shown from the military is the best thing to give them is whole blood," she said.Dr. Donald Jenkins, who put together the Joint Trauma Theater Trauma System in Iraq and Afghanistan, says when patients are transfused with whole blood, the mortality rate for badly injured patients losing large amounts of blood, like 2 liters out of the 5 total liters in our bodies, falls from 75% to 20%.
"Making sure that what our patients need to save their lives is available to them when and where they need it," he said.
Dr. Jenkins is currently a critical care specialist affiliated with University Hospital and UT Health San Antonio.Wartime has led to major breakthroughs in civilian medical care. Waltman says the entire concept of the blood bank was developed in World War One, and the idea of Air Life helicopters itself comes from MASH units in the War in Vietnam.
Dr. Jenkins says this will be a first of its kind use of the military-developed system in Texas.
The concept of transfusing whole blood on Air Life helicopters was developed by the 75th Ranger Regiment and the Mayo Clinic.