title: [Blood derivatives in Puerto Rico: History of the transfusion services and estimate of the consumption of blood units].
abstract: Puerto Rico has eight hospital blood banks and three community blood banks for a population around four million. The Red Cross has been in existence in Puerto Rico since 1893 under the Spanish Governance but it was not until 1907 which became the American Red Cross (ARC). Since then it has been serving Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. About 171.222 blood components, which 45% are of the ARC, are used. There are a number of variations in utilization and a number of factors that are influencing us at the national and local level and that is why collaboration is required in the management plan of blood components at each hospital and implementation of maximum units required for each case of surgery.
authors: Raúl H
authors: RH
authors: Morales-Borges
mesh_terms: D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000266:history* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D011647:Puerto Rico