With the caveats Dr. Schreiber noted about the study’s limitations, this study affirms that CRBCs are a flexible way to augment the existing blood supply, and may be thought of as a safe and interchangeable equivalent to fresh RBCs. A storage cache of CRBCs would help ensure adequate blood supplies in austere conditions, for rural locations, and in disaster scenarios, he said.
The authors reported no disclosures.
The complete manuscript of this study and its presentation at the American Surgical Association’s 135th Annual Meeting, April 2015, in San Diego, California, are anticipated to be published in the Annals of Surgery pending editorial review.