Table 1.

Guidelines for blood collection and storage in combat areas

Donation

Develop a pre-deployment roster of pedigreed donors (screened every 90 days)

ABO and Rh

Transmissible diseases

In emergency situations

Prefer previous and type O donor

Perform onsite ABO typing

Perform direct cross-match if possible

Treatment

Use approved blood recipient set(contains anticoagulant)

Fill until 650-mL bag is nearly full (approx 450 mL blood)

Draw cross-match and transmissible disease blood tubes

Submit to supporting lab even after use of blood

Storage

Keep fresh warm blood no longer than 24 h

If less than 8 h old, may be refrigerated for 3 weeks