ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The specificities of military medicine have led to the maintenance of fresh whole blood (FWB) transfusion. STUDY DESIGN: The aim of our study was to evaluate this practice at the French military hospital in Kabul between 2006-2009. PATIENTS AND METHODS: During our study period, 19 FWB transfusions were performed and the data from 15 FWB transfusions could be analyzed. We studied the number of units by recipient, the characteristics of recipients, the results of blood tests performed after transfusion, the incidents in donors and recipients, the period for obtaining a unit of FWB and mortality of recipients. RESULTS: A total of 66 units of FWB were transfused in 15 patients. The median number of FWB units transfused was three per patient. Thirteen out of 15 (87%) were combat-related casualties. All units were tested before transfusion for HIV with rapid diagnostic tests. Every blood samples of donors were negative for pathogens screened at the French Blood Service. No incident in donors and in recipients was reported. The average time between collection and transfusion was 140±197minutes (median 43min). Mortality in recipients was 27% (n=4). CONCLUSION: In our study, the FWB transfusion was not associated with incidents. Nonetheless, this practice should be used only for exceptional situations like military conflicts where risks of FWB are lower than the absence of transfusion.
