With appropriate attention to detail, it is possible to provide life-saving blood components to aeromedical transport services across a large geographic area with efficient blood component usage, minimal blood wastage, and low cost.

Our regional trauma center transfusion service provided 2 units of O-negative red blood cells and 2 units of A low-titer anti-B liquid plasma in an internally monitored and sealed eutectic box weighing 10.4 pounds to eight air bases once weekly.

Over a 6-year period, ≈ 7400 blood components were provided, and >1000 were used by the air transport service in patient care.

Plasma units were 57% of all units given. Unused units were returned to the providing transfusion service and used in hospital patient care with <3% loss. Estimated cost of providing blood per mission was $63 and per patient transfused was $1940.

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