title: [Blood transfusion on battlefield. The Kabul hospital experience].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Blood transfusion is an aspect of medical care on the battlefield. French assets include: red blood cell units (RBCu), lyophilized plasma (PLYO), fresh whole blood (FWB) but neither fresh-frozen plasma (FFP) nor platelets. French transfusion strategy in military operations follows the evolution of knowledge and resources. We describe the characteristics of the transfusion at the military hospital in Kabul.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study of records of patients transfused between October 2010 to December 2011 conducted in Kabul from transfusion register. Variables studied were: patient characteristics, biology at admission, type and amount of transfusion products, evolution.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and twenty-six patients were transfused: 49 military (39%) which 22 French soldier (17%), most of time afghan (n=97; 77%), mean age at 24 years old (3-66). Two hundred and seventy-three RBCu from France were transfused and 350 unused were destroyed. Conditions leading to a transfusion were: 76 war wounds (60%), 21 trauma (17%) and 29 other (23%). In the first 24 hours, patients received in mean: two RBCu (0-12), one unit of FWB (0-18) and two PLYO (0-14). PLYO/RBCu ratio was 1/1.6. A massive transfusion (more than 10 RBCu) concerned 9% of patients. Twenty-seven percent of patients received FWB. We note 17 dead people (13.5%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of the FWB and PLYO in substitution of FFP and platelets can provide cares of high quality in a logistically constrained context while controlling costs.
authors: Département d'anesthésie-réanimation-urgences, HIA Sainte-Anne, boulevard de Sainte-Anne, 83000 Toulon, France. Electronic address: pierre.esnault@gmail.com.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Esnault
authors: P J
authors: PJ
authors: Cungi
authors: P E
authors: PE
authors: Romanat
authors: E
authors: E
authors: D'Aranda
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Cotte
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Bordes
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Vichard
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Aguillon
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Sailliol
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Meaudre
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D000368:Aged; D001793:Blood Preservation; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017707:Erythrocyte Transfusion / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006772:Hospitals, Military / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008887:Military Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008889:Military Personnel; D009934:Organization and Administration; D010949:Plasma; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000628:therapy; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Afghanistan; Fresh whole blood; Lyophilized plasma; Massive transfusion; Military medicine; Médecine militaire; Plasma lyophilisé; Sang frais total; Transfusion; Transfusion massive