Blood Type Tape

[CBEMT]

You can never go wrong with duct tape and a sharpie.

You aren't kidding. MacGyver could take over the world with an arsenal like that! :shock:

[steph1030]

there is too much margin for error on this and although medicine isnt exact why add more chances

if it were me i wouldnt rely on this particular method

[Richard B the EMT]

Dust, requesting a confirmation or denial: Dogtags, to keep them quiet, are nowadays being worn woven under the laces on the boots, no matter what the blood type displayed on them?

[Dustdevil]

Dust, requesting a confirmation or denial: Dogtags, to keep them quiet, are nowadays being worn woven under the laces on the boots, no matter what the blood type displayed on them?

That's mostly a Marine thing. Not sure if the Army officially discourages it, or if it just never caught on there. You see some doing it though. Air Force does whatever everybody else around them is doing, which here is the Marines. Almost every Marine or sailor you see will have one dogtag laced into a (usually left) boot. It's not a silence thing, though. Most of us still have two around our necks, and we put extras in the bootlaces. The silencers work well around the neck, and this not being a jungle war, silence isn't a big issue. Getting blown into multiple pieces, and dogtags ending up half a mile from the rest of your body is a big issue.

Here's a pic I just took of my left foot, with the dogtag in the laces, and the other set from around my neck next to it.

It's harder to lace them in to the Converse boots than the el cheapo jungle boots, because of the fancy lacing lugs. And those black rubber "silencers" on the dogtags wear out about every 3 or 4 months and have to be replaced. More often, if you do something more than sit on your arse all day for a living.

[tniuqs]

I decided to save the money and have CPR instructions tattooed on my sternum.

Funny thing I got NO CODE tattooed on my sternum..... cause if they can't find me boot then RIP.

Ok seriously ... are the medical types "over there" using any artificial blood products or volume expanders like pentaspan or hemo....whatever just can't recall what 'yalls' call it. I was a member of a USAR team but this topic never came up as we were NOT suposed to become injured or put ourselves in a unsafe spot.

cheers

[spenac]

IMHO blood transfusions can be and should be a thing of the past. So many other safer options. Like so many things in emergency medicine it's always been done this way so we'll continue doing it this way.

http://www.noblood.org/

As far as dog tags along with silencers I've always wrapped them tight with a rubber band.

[Doczilla]

Ok seriously ... are the medical types "over there" using any artificial blood products or volume expanders like pentaspan or hemo....whatever just can't recall what 'yalls' call it. I was a member of a USAR team but this topic never came up as we were NOT suposed to become injured or put ourselves in a unsafe spot.

Hextend (hetastarch in balanced electrolyte solution) and Hespan (hetastarch in normal saline) are used by forces far removed into the field from medical support. Crystalloid fluids rapidly redistribute into tissues, so of each L of saline infused, only about 1/3 will stay in the vascular container. This means that you have to give 3 L of saline or LR for every 1L of blood loss. The colloids hold fluid longer in the vascular space, and can replace blood loss 1:1. The medics, who may have to hump long distances with their medical load on their back, have to carry less fluid into the field for the same net effect. Hypertonic saline is sometimes used for the same reason.

Colloids haven't been shown to improve mortality over crystalloid when compared side-by-side in traditional medical environments. The starch solutions are >10x more expensive than crystalloids, and have not shown any other real advantage when compared to crystalloids. That's why it hasn't replaced saline on the ambulance and in the trauma bay.

Polyheme is disappearing after the initial results of the big trauma study. Other similar products (Bioheme) are waiting in the wings to become more widely used, but more testing is needed, particularly in light of the Polyheme study results.

Forces deployed far afield are also performing blood transfusions. The "walking blood donor" concept is not that new but is gaining some acceptance. The idea is that if you have a guy with serious blood loss who needs a transfusion, his buddies might give up some blood for him. There are kits to do this. The blood is crossmatched in the field using very rudimentary means, and if compatible, the transfusion can be undertaken while awaiting transport to definitive care.

'zilla

[Doczilla]

IMHO blood transfusions can be and should be a thing of the past. So many other safer options. Like so many things in emergency medicine it's always been done this way so we'll continue doing it this way.

http://www.noblood.org/

Not going to happen. This concept does not account for acute life-threatening blood loss which must be immediately corrected. This comprises the majority of blood transfusions that I order in the ED and ICU. Until we have a workable blood substitute, there will always be a need for this kind of emergent transfusion.

I admire the attempt to reduce need for blood transfusions by reclaimation of blood during surgery (the "Cell Saver"), increased attention paid to surgical bleeding control, and use of erythropoetin to increase red cell production in the bone marrow.

'zilla

[tniuqs]

Doczilla

Polyheme is disappearing after the initial results of the big trauma study. Other similar products (Bioheme) are waiting in the wings to become more widely used, but more testing is needed, particularly in light of the Polyheme study results.

Forces deployed far afield are also performing blood transfusions. The "walking blood donor" concept is not that new but is gaining some acceptance. The idea is that if you have a guy with serious blood loss who needs a transfusion, his buddies might give up some blood for him. There are kits to do this. The blood is crossmatched in the field using very rudimentary means, and if compatible, the transfusion can be undertaken while awaiting transport to definitive care.

AH Hepastarch, spelling makes all the difference ! thanks.

I have used Span in the field/aircraft, anicdotally: great stuff, Then again I have never even looked at the cost it is carried in the majority of Air Ambulances here or we can pick it up in some rural facilities. I so wish that I could get a few litres for my remote deployments....WAY lighter to pack about but medical directors in Industry are a bit hesitant. Why because most are GPs..

I too have been a walking donor on just one occassion in a very remote spot, pre AIDS. It can suck to be the Medic and O neg at times....I was one really sleepy MoFo after that deal, the outcome was worth it although.

Have heard that the Brits have shelved the Polyheme but really don't know the reasoning behind this move, too bad really. Here's wishing successful trials to the Bioheme.

Erythropoietin : interesting for the JWs in the crowd but is this not too little to late in most cases and not even a consideration in an acute hypovolemic state ? Thing is, this is a derivative of blood .... I don't understand this thinking by the JWs ... but, I have watched a few succumb sadly due to their beliefs.....

cheers