[Blood transfusion in emergency settings: French military health service experience]

Abstract

Blood transfusion is required in a number of emergency settings and the French military health service (FMHS) has issued specific guidelines for the treatment of war casualties. These guidelines take into account European standards and laws, NATO standards, and also public sentiment regarding transfusion. These guidelines reflect a determination to control the process and to avoid the improvisation frequently associated with wartime transfusion. The evolution in warfare (terrorism and bombing more frequent than gunshot) and the wide use of body armor have deeply changed the clinical presentation of war injuries. These now involve the extremities in 80% of cases, with extensive tissue damage and heavy blood loss. The FMHS recommends that war casualties with hemorrhagic shock be brought quickly to a medical treatment facility (MTF) after first-line treatment applied through buddy aid or by medics. In the MTF, before an early Medevac, a damage control surgery will be performed, with resuscitation using freeze-dried plasma, red blood cells and fresh whole blood. The French military blood bank is responsible for blood product supply, training and medical advice regarding transfusion therapy during wartime, as well as hemovigilance. All transfusion therapy practices are periodically assessed but research on whole blood pathogen reduction is being conducted in order to reduce the residual infectious risk associated with this product.