As of last week, over 80 seriously injured soldiers in Gaza had received transfusions of blood. Medical Corps data indicate that a quarter of the wounded arrived at hospitals with severe trauma injuries, compared to 16% in Operation Protective Edge and three times more than in the Second Lebanon War.
In addition, in the war of "iron swords" - 12% of all wounded with critical injuries. The significance of the data is that in the current war, the IDF is succeeding in bringing more wounded with serious and critical injuries to life to the hospital. "This is the first time we have used blood units in the field during combat," explains Lt. Col. Dr. Ofer Almog, head of the Medical Corps' Operational Medicine Branch.
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"In every maneuvering unit there are teams that have been trained to administer blood units and come to every fighter. The most significant challenge in bringing the blood units forward is the logistical conditions and the need to keep them refrigerated, so they are supplied in an armored vehicle. The arrival of the blood unit takes about 10 minutes and the blood is given in the same vessel of the brigade, which also allows the evacuation of the wounded." For example, in one case, a soldier was injured by shrapnel that caused a rupture in the carotid artery, a vital blood vessel.
The therapists in the field were able to stop the bleeding by pressing and began an infusion of dried plasma and a full unit of blood. The injured man arrived at the hospital with normal vital parameters and was taken into the operating room. This is a case that medical officials believe would not have ended this way without a blood transfusion. "Those who need treatment with blood products suffer a significant injury that brings them to a state of deep shock in which the body's systems are damaged because oxygen is not transported to the tissues. From the outset, these are seriously injured people with significant injuries," explains Dr. Almog.
"Thanks to the provision of blood units, we are able to bring more wounded with significant injuries to hospitals, compared to previous operations and wars. The possibility of giving full blood restores function to some of the vital systems and 'buys time' for the injured person until he reaches the hospital."
"Where it is useful"
According to him, every combat brigade in Gaza uses blood units as well as units responsible for evacuation, and are currently constantly expanding the use of blood units "wherever there is benefit."
Giving a full blood unit with all its components is very beneficial, explains Prof. Ayelet Shinar, MDA Blood Bank Director: "Following the experience of the Americans in Iraq and Afghanistan and the experience of the Norwegians, it has been decided, since 2018, to give complete blood units with all its components – blood cells, plasma and thrombocytes. This is based on the understanding that whoever bleeds blood in all its components should receive blood in all its components."
According to her, the blood supplied by MDA to the IDF is type O, which is suitable for all wounded and all blood types, while the blood donated for this purpose is from people whose blood antibodies are low, in order to prevent potential harm to blood recipients whose blood type is A or B."
However, a reserve doctor in a brigade that recently left Gaza noted that bringing a refrigerator containing blood units into his brigade was technically impossible and required transferring it between refrigerators and coolers, when there was no electricity. "Blood has value not only as a resource, people donate it from their bodies and there is moral value in preserving it. Is there justification for giving in every situation on the ground? I doubt it.
"In the helicopter and evacuation in a special intensive care unit there is blood. So if it's a seriously injured person, he'll get an IV on the way. After all, MDA also does not have blood units in intensive care mobility."
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