The Lincs and Notts air ambulance service will start carrying blood supplies on board. This will enable them to carry out on-site blood transfusions and save more lives. This change is expected to significantly enhance the quality of pre-hospital care provided by the crew. Patients will now have an even better chance of recovery even in the most critical injuries.
One of Six Air Ambulance Helicopters to Offer On-Site Blood Transfusions
With the Lincs and Notts air ambulance helicopter carrying blood supplies on board there are now six air ambulance helicopters in the U.K. that can provide on-site blood transfusions. The implementation of the project is being overseen by Dr. David Cookson, who stated that the recent advances in devices have made it possible for air ambulance service crews to administer blood transfusions outside of a hospital environment.
In cases where the patient is bleeding heavily and has very low blood pressure, they have difficulty pumping oxygen to vital organs. So administering blood transfusion is a crucial step to providing treatment to these patients. This improves their chances of survival as they’re being transported to the hospital.
Specialist Training to Air Ambulance Service Crew
The Lincs and Notts crew has been provided a specialist training to carry blood supplies on board and administer it to patients in need. The blood supply is from Lincoln County Hospital, delivered on a daily basis by the Lincolnshire Emergency Blood Bikers.
The helicopter will be transporting the blood supply in thermostatically-controlled boxes that were specially designed for carrying blood. The helicopter also has a machine to warm the blood so it can be administered at the correct temperature. The crew will be administering the blood to patients whose blood pressure is dangerously low and are suspected to be bleeding significantly.
