TY - JOUR
T1 - Prehospital Whole Blood Administration for Pediatric Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage
T2 - A Case Report
AU - Saab, Mathew A.
AU - Jacobson, Eric
AU - Hanson, Kip
AU - Kruciak, Brandon
AU - Miramontes, David
AU - Harper, Stephen
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© This work was authored as part of the Contributor’s official duties as an Employee of the United States Government and is therefore a work of the United States Government. In accordance with 17 U.S.C. 105, no copyright protection is available for such works under U.S. Law.
PY - 2025
Y1 - 2025
N2 - The management of gastrointestinal (GI) hemorrhage in a prehospital setting presents significant challenges, particularly in arresting the hemorrhage and initiating resuscitation. This case report introduces a novel instance of prehospital whole blood transfusion to an 8-year-old male with severe lower GI hemorrhage, marking a shift in prehospital pediatric care. The patient, with no previous significant medical history, presented with acute rectal bleeding, severe hypotension (systolic/diastolic blood pressure [BP] 50/30 mmHg), and tachycardia (148 bpm). Early intervention by Emergency Medical Services (EMS), including the administration of 500 mL (16 mL/kg) of whole blood, led to marked improvement in vital signs (BP 97/64 mmHg and heart rate 93 bpm), physiology, and physical appearance, underscoring the potential effectiveness of prehospital whole blood transfusion in pediatric GI hemorrhage. Upon hospital admission, a Meckel’s diverticulum was identified as the bleeding source, and it was successfully surgically resected. The patient’s recovery was ultimately favorable, highlighting the importance of rapid, prehospital intervention and the potential role of whole blood transfusion in managing acute pediatric GI hemorrhage. This case supports the notion of advancing EMS protocols to include interventions historically reserved for the hospital setting that may significantly impact patient outcomes from the field.
AB - The management of gastrointestinal (GI) hemorrhage in a prehospital setting presents significant challenges, particularly in arresting the hemorrhage and initiating resuscitation. This case report introduces a novel instance of prehospital whole blood transfusion to an 8-year-old male with severe lower GI hemorrhage, marking a shift in prehospital pediatric care. The patient, with no previous significant medical history, presented with acute rectal bleeding, severe hypotension (systolic/diastolic blood pressure [BP] 50/30 mmHg), and tachycardia (148 bpm). Early intervention by Emergency Medical Services (EMS), including the administration of 500 mL (16 mL/kg) of whole blood, led to marked improvement in vital signs (BP 97/64 mmHg and heart rate 93 bpm), physiology, and physical appearance, underscoring the potential effectiveness of prehospital whole blood transfusion in pediatric GI hemorrhage. Upon hospital admission, a Meckel’s diverticulum was identified as the bleeding source, and it was successfully surgically resected. The patient’s recovery was ultimately favorable, highlighting the importance of rapid, prehospital intervention and the potential role of whole blood transfusion in managing acute pediatric GI hemorrhage. This case supports the notion of advancing EMS protocols to include interventions historically reserved for the hospital setting that may significantly impact patient outcomes from the field.
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U2 - 10.1080/10903127.2024.2372808
DO - 10.1080/10903127.2024.2372808
M3 - Article
C2 - 38940756
AN - SCOPUS:85198047741
SN - 1090-3127
VL - 29
SP - 89
EP - 92
JO - Prehospital Emergency Care
JF - Prehospital Emergency Care
IS - 1
ER -