The importance of the blood transfusion in emergency medicine treatment

• Main Authors: Grujić Jasmina, Bujandrić Nevenka, Dimitrijević Gradimir
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Serbian Medical Society, Department of Emergency Medicine, Belgrade 2014-01-01
• Series: ABC: časopis urgentne medicine
• Subjects: blood grouping and cross matching; emergency treatment; blood component transfusion; shock; hemorrhagic
• Online Access: https://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/1451-1053/2014/1451-10531403007G.pdf
• ISSN: 1451-1053; 2560-3922

Excessive blood loss can lead to hemorrhagic shock which is life threatening for the patient so timely diagnosis and intervention can be crucial for its survival. Rapid provision of blood and blood products is an integral part of the entire process. The use of blood products must be rational and efficient which involves the use of appropriate blood components at the right time. The conditions are: 1) Determination the degree of urgency (according to the protocol for the care of bleeding patients, with fast and efficient communication between clinic staff and transfusion service, the provision of a patient's blood sample and its transport to the transfusion service); 2) Selection of blood components depending on the clinical condition of the patient and his hemodynamic parameters: a) erythrocite, b) fresh frozen plasma, c) cryoprecipitate, d) platelets; 3) Determining the scope of pretransfusion testing: ABO/ RhD blood grouping, anti-human globulin cross match (AHG-XM), the immediate spin cross match without AHG phase, in special situations without blood grouping and cross matching; 4) Reporting and investigation of all posttransfusion reactions (immune/ non-immune, early/ delayed). Patients with massive bleeding require emergency treatment, good communication and cooperation between several physicians of different specialties, as well as fast and efficient transfusion of appropriate blood components.