Background: The transfusion of cold-stored uncrossmatched whole blood (WB) has not been extensively used in civilian trauma resuscitation. This report details the initial experience with the safety and feasibility of using WB in this setting after a change of practice at a Level 1 trauma center was instituted.
Methods: Up to two units of uncrossmatched group O positive WB that was leukoreduced using a platelet-sparing filter from male donors were transfused to male trauma patients with hypotension secondary to bleeding. Hemolytic marker haptoglobin and reports of transfusion reactions in these patients were followed. Additionally, transfusion volumes and outcomes were compared to a historical cohort of male trauma patients who received at least one red blood cell (RBC) unit, but not WB, during the first 24 hours of admission.
Results: There were 47 WB patients who were transfused with a mean (SD) of 1.74 (0.61) WB units. The median haptoglobin concentration on post-WB transfusion Day 1 was 25.1 (9.3) mg/dL in 7 of 30 non-group O recipients. No adverse reactions in temporal relation to the WB transfusions were reported. There were 145 male historical control patients identified who were resuscitated with component therapy; the median volume of incompatible plasma transfused to the WB versus component therapy group was not significantly different (1,000 vs. 800 mL, respectively; p = 0.38); the mean plasma:RBC (0.99 [0.47] vs. 0.77 [ 0.73], respectively; p = 0.006) and platelet:RBC (0.72 [0.40] vs. 0.51 [0.734], respectively; p < 0.0001) ratios were significantly higher in the WB group.
Conclusion: Transfusion of two units of cold-stored uncrossmatched WB is feasible and seems to be safe in civilian trauma resuscitation. Determining the efficacy of WB with regard to reducing the number of blood products transfused in the first 24 hours or improving recipient survival will require a larger randomized trial.
Level of evidence: Therapeutic study, level IV.