Learning About Emergency Blood Transfusion

An emergency blood transfusion is a treatment to replace blood when you have severe blood loss. Losing a lot of blood can be dangerous, so it needs to be treated right away.

You may lose too much blood after a serious injury, such as in a car crash or from a fall. Severe blood loss may also happen with a major surgery or an illness that causes bleeding. Sometimes problems during childbirth lead to severe blood loss.

If you have blood loss that is life-threatening, emergency services may give you a blood transfusion right away. Or you may get an emergency blood transfusion in the hospital.

To receive the transfusion, you will have an intravenous (I.V.) catheter put into a vein. A tube connects the catheter to a bag that holds the blood. The blood then flows slowly into your vein.

An emergency blood transfusion is done to help save your life. If you lose too much blood, your body can’t maintain a proper blood pressure. This lack of blood pressure causes shock. Shock means that your body and its functions are shutting down.

The body goes into shock when it can't get enough blood to the vital organs like your heart or brain. Shock is a life-threatening problem.

Blood loss can also reduce the number of oxygen-carrying red blood cells in the blood. Fewer red blood cells may prevent enough oxygen from reaching the rest of the body.

When you have lost too much blood, there may not be enough time to test your blood and get the results. So the blood you get during an emergency transfusion may not match your blood type.

Blood is typed as A, B, AB, or O. It is also typed as Rh-positive or Rh-negative. Type O blood is often used in emergency transfusions.

Type O-negative blood is called the “universal donor” type. This is because it's compatible with any blood type. If O-negative blood is available, it may be used in an emergency transfusion.

O-positive blood can also be used in an emergency. Type O-positive blood is compatible with many people’s blood types, but not all. It’s often used in emergencies because it's usually more available than O-negative blood.

When you have severe blood loss, waiting to find out your blood type may be more dangerous than giving you a transfusion of type O blood right away. Once your blood type is known, you may be given the blood type that matches.

You may get a transfusion of whole blood in an emergency. Whole blood is all the parts of the blood. Or you may get the parts of blood that you need the most. These parts include red blood cells, plasma, or platelets.

Emergency blood transfusions have many benefits and can be lifesaving. But they also have a few risks. If you have an emergency transfusion, you may need to be watched for a reaction or other problems.

Some people may have a reaction to the new blood, such as a fever or breathing problems. They could also have an allergic reaction, like hives or swelling. Severe reactions are rare.

Sometimes people get an infection at the transfusion site. This can cause redness, swelling, pain, bleeding, or pus. Your doctor will tell you how to care for the site, if needed.

An infection from the new blood may also happen, but it’s rare. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) enforces strict guidelines on the collection, testing, storage, and use of blood.

If you get blood that doesn’t match your blood type, this may also lead to problems. An example of this is getting an emergency transfusion of O-positive blood when you have an Rh-negative blood type, such as A-negative, B-negative, AB-negative, or O-negative.

When a person who is Rh-negative receives Rh-positive blood, their immune system may make antibodies. This response is called Rh sensitization. It may cause a harmful reaction during a future blood transfusion of Rh-positive blood. And in some cases it can affect the health of future pregnancies.

If you are Rh-negative and receive Rh-positive blood, you can be tested for Rh antibodies. If these antibodies are found, you will receive follow-up counseling from your doctor and care team. They can answer any questions you may have. They can let you know how to manage future blood transfusions. They also can help you plan for future pregnancies, if needed.