Clinical Experience with the Use of Frozen Blood in Combat Casualties

Abstract
To test the usefulness of frozen Group O, Rh-negative red blood cells in a combat-zone hospital, a frozen-blood facility was established in DaNang. The cells were glycerolized and frozen in Boston and then air-shipped to Vietnam. Total storage time at -80°C ranged from four to eight months. In vitro red blood cell loss was 26.7 per cent (±12.8 per cent), and unit supernatant hemoglobin was 54 mg (±46 mg).