GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Since July, Corewell Health Aero Med has provided whole blood to patients experiencing significant blood loss in their helicopters before they get to the hospital. This program is one of the first pre-hospital whole-blood emergency care systems to launch in Michigan, and has the potential to save lives. Since the launch of the program, Corewell Health Aero Med has used whole blood on patients being flown to hospitals about twice a week.
What is whole blood? Donated blood is traditionally separated into several components, including red blood cells, platelets, cryoprecipitate and plasma. Whole blood keeps all of these components together, and can be especially beneficial for trauma patients with blood loss. While Aero Med has carried red blood cells and plasma for many years, they will now be able to deliver whole-blood transfusions to stabilize more patients in critical condition, providing platelet cells that can help in recovery.
The Medical Director at Corewell Health Aero Med Aaron Ziegler says patients could now receive up to a liter of whole blood before they get to the hospital. Ziegler says once someone is injured, there is a "golden hour" for care that has a major effect on survival and recovery of a traumatic event. Ziegler claims that whole blood provides better chances of survival to trauma patients compared to the components they used to bring onto flights like red blood cells and plasma.
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