Background: Immediate supply of red blood cell (RBC) concentrates is crucial in the initial treatment of exsanguinating patients in the emergency room. General shortage of RhD- RBCs has led to protocols in which patients with unknown blood groups are initially transfused with group O, RhD+ RBCs. Limited data are available regarding the safety of such an approach.
Methods: Transfusion protocols for all multiple injured patients from the regional polytrauma database were retrospectively analyzed over a period of 5 years. Data on side effects were retrieved from the local safety update registry. Follow-up data were obtained from patients with identified RhD-incompatible transfusions.
Results: In total, 823 patients were registered as multiple injured in the database. An immediate transfusion of 259 units (mean number of units 4, range 1-6) group O, RhD+ RBCs was initiated in 62 of them. 14 of these patients were RhD- and received 60 units of RhD-incompatible RBCs in the emergency room. In the later course RhD- patients received additional 185 incompatible transfusions (13; 1-31). The overall seroconversion rate was 50%. No adverse outcome due to incompatible transfusion was observed.
Conclusions: Initial supply with group O, RhD+ RBCs in multiple injured patients appears to be safe. Significant numbers of RhD- units can be saved for use in other patients.
Keywords: Alloimmunization; Emergency transfusion; Non-cross-matched transfusions; Type O RhD+ supply.