Are you O-positive? Your next blood donation may help save someone at the scene of an accident.
“Whole blood” includes all the major parts of blood – plasma, platelets and red cells. Typically, you receive just one of those parts when you receive a transfusion, depending on the circumstances.
According to a 2022 study in the Annals of Surgery, the use of whole-blood transfusions in major bleeding cases led to a 48% reduction in deaths among trauma patients, compared to patients treated with one or more components of blood (plasma, platelets or red cells).
Research by the U.S. Army showed that having all the parts of blood included in a transfusion reduces the mortality rate in trauma cases from 60% to 20%. Patients receiving whole blood typically required fewer emergency transfusions as well.
No, it is exactly the same as a typical whole-blood donation.
While O-negative is considered the “universal” blood type for emergencies, just 7% of the population has type O-negative blood, so it often is in short supply. The largest proportion of the U.S. population (32%) is O-positive.
The whole-blood program, which was the first of its kind in U.S. civilian healthcare, was launched in San Antonio in 2018 in conjunction with members of the South Texas Regional Advisory Council, which coordinates emergency medical care in 22 South Texas counties, and regional medical helicopter services. It since has expanded to San Antonio Fire Department units, the city’s two level 1 trauma centers, and regional hospitals and EMS units.
The concept for the whole-blood transfusion program was pioneered in South Texas by Dr. Donald Jenkins, who worked on a similar program for the U.S. Army in Afghanistan and a pilot program at the Mayo Clinic before coming to University Health System and UT Health San Antonio.
No, but San Antonio was the first community in the United States to implement a whole-blood transfusion program of this kind for civilian use. The concept dates to the latter stages of World War II, the Korean conflict and the Vietnam war, but was phased out in the 1970s. It was revived in studies conducted by the U.S. Army and the Mayo Clinic.
For more than 45 years, the nonprofit South Texas Blood & Tissue Center has focused on a critical purpose: to save and improve lives.
Inspired by a group of physicians, our organization was formed to provide blood to the South Texas region – ensuring a safe and adequate blood supply through proper testing, storage and distribution to hospitals. This essential service allows front-line workers to focus on the direct care of patients, with confidence that this lifesaving resource will be there when it’s needed most.
But we didn’t stop there. Over the years, we’ve evolved as the needs of our patients and hospitals have changed, driven to save lives in as many ways as possible.
We couldn’t do this without donors like you. We understand that the gift of donation is a personal, powerful choice that has the potential to touch a life. Today, we offer many ways to make a difference that include:
Our team has also expanded its programs, partnering with leaders within the healthcare industry to develop a wide range of therapies.
