Conemaugh Health System Air Medical Service adds Whole Blood to all emergency air medical transport

Conemaugh Health System’s MedStar air medical transportation service has achieved a milestone by performing the first in-flight blood transfusion using whole blood. MedStar is one the first medical transport service in the Ohio Valley Region to offer whole blood in-flight.  

The MedStar helicopter was summoned to the scene of a motorcycle accident in Somerset County, where a patient sustained multisystem trauma and had suspected internal bleeding. While in flight, the MedStar team administered whole blood to the patient to help stabilize the bleeding during the 11-minute flight to Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center, a Level 1 Regional Trauma Center, where they were successfully handed off to the trauma team for further care.   

"Bringing whole blood into the prehospital arena has been a collaborative effort between Trauma Services, the lab, and Conemaugh MedStar,” said Seth Forry, Prehospital Operations Manager. “We’re excited to see the first patient benefit from this potentially life-saving treatment.”  

According to the American Red Cross, whole blood is blood that has not had any of its components separated or removed. It comprises red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma. Although not often used in blood transfusions, whole blood is used to treat patients who need large amounts of all blood components, such as those who sustain significant blood loss due to trauma.  

Before Medstar carried whole blood, patients received individual components, including packed red blood cells and fresh frozen plasma. When someone loses blood from an injury, they lose components and everything contained within blood.  

“The use of whole blood is proven to save lives,” said Russel Dumire, MD, Trauma/Acute Care Surgeon and Medical Director of Trauma Services at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center.  

“Survival rates have increased in patients who have been administered whole blood. It has everything a patient needs to regenerate coagulation (blood clotting) and allows us to begin goal-directed therapy, even at the critical access point.”  

MedStar is an air medical program with over 30 years of service throughout southwestern and central Pennsylvania. The program's helicopters are based locally in Somerset, PA, and can transport patients from anywhere within an 11-county region.  

The flight teams consist of registered nurses and certified paramedics experienced in critical care and advanced life support. While in constant contact with Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center, the only Level 1 trauma center between Pittsburgh and Hershey, and Level 3 Regional Intensive Care Nursery, MedStar provides up-to-the-second care for all patients aboard. A specialty team comprised of RICN nurses and respiratory therapists accompany the MedStar team when newborns are transported to Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center.