{
  "abstract": "Introduction The US military has frequently used a ‘walking blood bank’, formally known as an ‘emergency donor panel’ (EDP) to obtain warm fresh whole blood (WFWB) which is then immediately transfused into the casualty. We describe the frequency of EDP activation by the US military.Methods We analysed data from 2007 to 2015 within the Department of Defense Trauma Registry for US, Coalition and US contractor casualties that received at least 1 unit of blood product within the first 24 hours and described the frequency of WFWB use.Results There were 3474 casualties that met inclusion, of which, 290 casualties (8%) required activation of the EDP. The highest proportion of EDP events was in 2014, whereas the highest number of EDP events was in 2011. Median injury severity scores were higher in the recipients, compared with non-EDP recipients (29 vs 20), as were proportions with serious injuries to the abdomen (43% vs 19%) and extremities (77% vs 65%). The median number of units of all blood products, except for packed red blood cells, was higher for WFWB recipients. Of the WFWB recipients, the median was 5 units (IQR 2–10) with a maximum documented 144 units. There were four documented cases of EDP recipients receiving >100 units of WFWB with only one surviving to hospital discharge. During the study period, there were a total of 3102 (3%) units of WFWB transfused among a total of 104 288 total units.Conclusions We found nearly 1 in 11 casualties who received blood required activation of the EDP. Blood from the EDP accounted for 3% of all units transfused. These findings will enable future mission planning and medical training, especially for units with smaller, limited blood supplies. The lessons learned here can also enable mass casualty planning in civilian settings.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland, USA"
      ],
      "name": "Catherine Y Lin"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland, USA"
      ],
      "name": "J D Hamm"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Surgery, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA"
      ],
      "name": "A D Fisher"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland, USA",
        "Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, USA"
      ],
      "name": "J A Rizzo"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Medical Capability Development Integration Directorate, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, USA"
      ],
      "name": "J B Corley"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland, USA"
      ],
      "name": "M D April"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland, USA",
        "Center for Combat and Battlefield (COMBAT) Research, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA",
        "Departments of Anesthesiology and Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA"
      ],
      "name": "S G Schauer"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Frequency of deployed emergency donor panel use prior to implementation of the low titre group O whole blood program",
  "uid": "b20bf2d9-322e-5517-bc74-eeeca10d8440"
}