Deceased Donor Blood Transfusion in Emergency Resuscitation: A Scoping Review of Historical Evidence for Military and Mass Casualty Applications

Bleeding remains a leading cause of preventable trauma death. Future large-scale combat operations or mass casualty events could need far more blood than current donor systems can supply. One month of large-scale combat could require more than 80,000 units, around ten times the monthly supply used in Iraq and Afghanistan. This CME activity is based on a scoping review in Transfusion that looks back at an almost forgotten practice: transfusing blood from recently deceased donors. The review covers 25 studies from 1936 to 1991, most of them from the former Soviet Union, involving nearly 4,000 recipients. It describes:

  • how much the practice was used, and in which patients
  • how blood was collected, ideally within 6 hours of death
  • how it was preserved
  • the clinical outcomes and reported adverse events

Reported reaction rates were low. However, the evidence is old, mostly retrospective and often incomplete. The activity considers whether these historical findings could inform emergency resuscitation plans for times when normal blood supplies are disrupted.

Target Audience

Healthcare Professionals 

Learning Objectives

  • Describe the potential blood supply problems that large-scale combat operations and mass casualty events could create.
  • Summarize the historical evidence on deceased donor blood transfusion, including how widely it was used, which patients received it, and the clinical outcomes.
  • Explain the methods used to collect and preserve deceased donor blood, including how timing after death affects quality.
  • Assess the reported adverse events and the limits of the existing evidence.
  • Use this evidence to consider future strategies for emergency resuscitation when conventional blood supplies are unavailable.

Activity Disclosure

No commercial support has been accepted related to the development or publication of this activity.

This activity underwent peer review in line with the standards of editorial integrity and publication ethics. Conflicts of interest have been identified and resolved in accordance with John Wiley and Sons, Inc.’s Policy on Activity Disclosure and Conflict of Interest.

Course summary

Available credit: 
  • 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™
Course opens: 
10/08/2025
Course expires: 
10/07/2028
Cost:
$0.00

Article Authors

Wang J, Remondelli MH, Rhee J, Patterson K, Lackie M, Nye K, Atwood RE, Green JT, Do WS, Schectman D, Weeks-Groh SR, Bozzay JD, Radowsky JS, Powell EK, Stewart IJ, Elster EA, Bradley MJ, Burmeister DM, and Walker PF

CME Editor

 

Julie Katz Karp MD

Julie Katz Karp MD

Julie Katz Karp MD has nothing to disclose.

 

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

John Wiley and Sons, Inc. designates this journal-based CME activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. For information on applicability and acceptance of continuing medical education credit for this activity, please consult your professional licensing board.

This activity is designed to be completed within 1 hour. To successfully earn credit, participants must complete the activity during the valid credit period, which is up to three years from initial publication. Additionally, up to 3 attempts and a score of 70% or better is needed to pass the post test and claim CC credit. [ACGME competency/CC category: Medical Knowledge].

Available Credit

  • 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™

Price

Cost:
$0.00
Please login or register to take this course.