Shared Blood: Expeditionary Resuscitative Surgical Team (ERST-5) Use of Local Whole Blood to Improve Resuscitation of Host Nation Partner Forces

Shared Blood: Expeditionary Resuscitative Surgical Team (ERST-5) Use of Local Whole Blood to Improve Resuscitation of Host Nation Partner Forces

US Special Operations Forces work by, with, and through partner forces (PFs) to accomplish mutual objectives. Surgical teams support these forces directly and may assist in treating injuries sustained by PF, based on established medical rules of engagement. These surgical operations are often conduc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of special operations medicine Vol. 19; no. 4; p. 85
Main Authors: Bowman, Melanie, Ashbaucher, Joshua, Cohee, Brian, Fisher, Michael S, Jennette, John B, Huse, John D, Copeland, Chans, Muir, Kathryn B
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: United States 2019
Subjects:
Blood Transfusion
Humans
International Cooperation
Military Medicine
Resuscitation - methods
Treatment Outcome
United States
War-Related Injuries - surgery
United States
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Summary:US Special Operations Forces work by, with, and through partner forces (PFs) to accomplish mutual objectives. Surgical teams support these forces directly and may assist in treating injuries sustained by PF, based on established medical rules of engagement. These surgical operations are often conducted in austere conditions, with limited access to blood products. Limited blood product availability decreases US medical capacity to resuscitate injured PFs and augment the local trauma system. We present an innovative solution used by an expeditionary resuscitative surgical team (ERST) and Special Operations civil affairs team to partner with host nation (HN) medical personnel to improve PF access to damage control resuscitation and surgery. Whole blood obtained through a local HN hospital was provided to the ERST to allow for increased capacity to resuscitate PF casualties and augment the local trauma system. The ERST subsequently used this blood to resuscitate two PF surgical casualties.
ISSN:1553-9768
DOI:10.55460/L0IH-CF0A