It is estimated that around the world, 2.5 million people bleed to death each year. That’s more than die from HIV and Malaria and a lot of those deaths are pre-ventable. In many cases a rapid volume of plasma mixed with Red Blood Cells has been able to save the life in time.
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It
is estimated that around the world, 2.5 million people bleed to death
each year. That’s more than die from HIV and Malaria and a lot of those
deaths are pre-ventable. In many cases a rapid volume of plasma mixed
with Red Blood Cells has been able to save the life in time. To
ascertain this fact well and to establish the right balance and mix of
plasma and RBC, clinical trials are under way in the UK of new blood
transfusion procedures for patients with traumatic injuries.One trial
involves more than 1,000 patients from centres in London, Oxford,
Copenhagen and Oslo. The second involves 600 patients at 22 medical
centres in England and Wales, and will follow surviving patients for a
year after injury.
Preliminary data suggests that a 1:2 ratio of plasma to red blood cells may be ”as good as if not better” than the 1:1 ratio.
Modern
blood transfusions involve the intravenous injection of blood
components such as red blood cells, platelets and plasma, a
straw-coloured blood component which acts as a clotting
Until
recently, plasma was given in the UK only once a blood test deemed it
necessary, but this could mean valuable time was lost in stopping a
patient from bleeding to death. The plasma also has to be thawed.
In
recent years, military and civilian centres worldwide have been looking
to use plasma early and in higher volumes with traumatic injuries. Less
use of saline fluids has also been made in the immediate aftermath of
an injury, for fear it will reduce clotting.
A
retrospective study published in 2007 of 246 patients treated at a US
combat support hospital in Iraq found a direct association between the
amount of plasma given and survival rates.The study, which involved only
patients with severe
injuries
and massive blood loss, suggested the mortality rate fell from 65% to
19% when the ratio of plasma to red blood cells administered was
increased from 1:8 to approximately 1:1.Plasma is also being used early
and aggressively in military casualities in Afghanistan,
Other
clotting factors and a drug called tranexamic acid that reduces the
break-up of clotting, are also being used. But what exactly the right
mix of components is for trauma patients is still to be agreed.
(Source: bbc.co.uk/health news pages)