A research project to improve emergency trauma care could help hundreds of patients in Wales every year
A research project aimed at improving emergency trauma care could help up to 1,300 patients in life-and-death situations in Wales every year.
Platelets, a blood component that help with clotting and wound healing, are stored at room temperature and have a very short shelf life, making them impractical for pre-hospital use.
But a project exploring their use at cold temperatures which makes them last longer makes them an invaluable tool for emergency teams.
EMRTS, together with project partners the Welsh Blood Service, the Defence Medical Services and Swansea Trials Unit, have been investigating the feasibility and effectiveness of storing cold-stored platelets alongside red blood cells in specialised boxes – with promising early results.
EMRTS National Director David Lockey said: “Despite major advances bleeding is still a major cause of preventable death in our trauma patients.
“The effective pre-hospital use of platelets is another piece of the puzzle which has the potential to improve care and save lives. We are delighted to have been involved in this project with the transfusion service.”
In December, the team working on the project took an important step towards preparing for a clinical trial.
Project partners visited EMRTS colleagues at the Wales Air Ambulance base in Dafen to understand how pre-hospital platelets could be delivered safely and effectively in real clinical conditions.
The multidisciplinary group of national experts combined clinical, military, scientific and methodological expertise to shape the development of this high-impact research.
Visitors witnessed a detailed view of the operating environment for both the helicopter and the rapid response vehicles used by EMRTS Cymru, and the constraints of space, weight, storage and workflow, which will help shape the trial and shape the proposed processes so they are practical and workable for crews.
Critical Care Practitioner Dewi Thomas and Transfer Practitioner Andrew Morris gave an on-site walk-through of the current kit, and the pathways followed when administering blood products at the scene.
This insight is informing decisions on how cold stored platelets could be integrated into established practice.
Following the operational review on base, the team worked with colleagues from Swansea Trials Unit on refining the trial design and addressing the operational and regulatory considerations needed for a clinical study, at air ambulance services across the UK.
The group is shaping a comprehensive funding application to be submitted to the Ministry of Defence this spring.
If successful, the intention is to progress rapidly to a multisite clinical trial involving air ambulance services to evaluate the effectiveness of what is anticipated to be a life-saving intervention for trauma patients.