WASHINGTON — Paramedics saved the life of a gunshot victim while responding to a call last month. They did it by giving the patient a blood transfusion while in the field. The man was the first patient saved by DC Fire/EMS's new Whole Blood Program, first announced in January.
Paramedics and EMTs responded to the scene, got the patient into an ambulance and determined he met the clinical criteria for a transfusion before getting to the hospital.
The blood, supplied by the American Red Cross and processed for delivery through a partnership with the George Washington University Blood Bank, was stored onboard an EMS supervisor vehicle located in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. Firefighter/Paramedic Logan Dana, EMT Robert Gill, and Firefighter EMT Nero Quiroz were part of the team who treated the patient and assisted with the low-titer type-O whole blood transfusion in the field.
Whole blood refers to the blood taken as is from a donor (after it's tested for certain diseases and antibodies) as opposed to what a hospital often distills for platelets, plasma, etc.
All of the blood they receive from blood banks will be type O, since O- is the universal donor and O+ works for a majority of people. Dr. David Vitberg, who oversees the program, said in a crisis, they don't have time to test a patient's blood for a perfect match.
The man was then taken to MedStar Washington Hospital Center to be treated for his injuries.
“For patients with life-threatening hemorrhage, rapid blood transfusion as early as possible has been shown to markedly inprove a patient’s chance of survival. DC’s new Whole Blood Program, launched by Mayor Bowser this year, offers some of our most critically injured patients the best chance of survival. Minutes can be the difference between life and death,” Dr. Vitberg said. “DC Fire and EMS is a crucial first link in our healthcare and trauma system, and we are providing cutting-edge care to patients in the District with this new tool to save more lives. Please consider donating blood to help sustain this important program.”
For more information about the program, click here.
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