Experience of the blood bank at the American University Hospital during the war in Lebanon.
The difficulties of switching from a community hospital blood bank type of practice to a field hospital blood bank operation with all the associated problems, are presented. Whole blood consumption markedly increased during the war while components use dropped and the voluntary benevolent donorship became the only source of blood supply. Guidelines of blood bank practice are derived from this experience.
D001771:Blood Banks / Q000458:organization & administration; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007861:Lebanon; D014857:Warfare