Devon Air Ambulance starts carrying freeze-dried plasma

From this week, Devon Air Ambulance can provide its patients with an additional life-saving treatment. This wasn't previously available in Devon until the patient arrives at a hospital’s Emergency Department; the administration of blood plasma. 

Nigel Hare, Operations Director for Devon Air Ambulance explains “In simple terms, blood is made up of red blood cells which carry oxygen around the body, white blood cells which protect against and ‘eat up’ infection, and plasma, which amongst other things contains the clotting agents which helps blood to clot when you are bleeding. 

All blood products, including plasma, need to be kept cold, but then warmed up to near body temperature immediately prior to administering to the patient. This has logistical challenges outside of a hospital, especially on a helicopter, so to help us to provide a safer and more reliable service we are now carrying a recent innovation, freeze dried plasma called LyoPlas”.

He added “If a patient is bleeding severely, giving them plasma provides them with additional support to enable their body to form and maintain blood clots to stem the bleeding.”

The advantage of LyoPlas is that it comes in a small 250ml bottle, which we keep cool in a special insulated bag. We then reconstitute the freeze-dried granules with body temperature sterile water, which we carry in a separate insulated section of the bag. The whole process takes just a few minutes. 

Collaborations that make carrying plasma possible

Although LyoPlas is used in the UK, we have to import it from Germany.  As it needs to be transported and stored chilled, as well as managed in accordance with stringent blood product regulations, we are very grateful to the Transfusion Laboratory (Blood Bank) at the Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust who receive, store and provide traceability of our LyoPlas. 

We hold enough LyoPlas at our airbases to treat three or four patients. When we have administered some, Devon Freewheelers, a charity specialising in supporting healthcare providers with volunteers who move blood products and other urgent items around the county to support patient care, collect replacement LyoPlas from the Blood Bank and deliver it to our airbases. 

Nigel concludes “As medical technology advances, Devon Air Ambulance strives to ensure our patients benefit from the latest innovations to help provide them with the best chance of a successful outcome. Without our fantastic supporters none of these developments would be possible. We are particularly grateful to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital and Devon Freewheelers in helping us to add plasma to the other life-saving treatments we are able to provide our patients.”

There are many ways you can help to keep your two Air Ambulances flying; from volunteering and fundraising, visiting one of nineteen charity shops, to remembering us in your Will and playing our weekly lottery.

We don’t know who we have helped unless our patients get in touch. We’d love to hear from you. If we have helped you please get in touch with us our Patient Liaison Officer Debbie Gregory on  01392 466666 or email d.gregory@daat.org