Blood products
Evidence supporting early aggressive use of blood products for resuscitation came from work performed by the military. Austere combat settings limited access to large volumes of crystalloid and separated blood components; however, “walking blood banks” and fresh whole blood (FWB) were available. Studies of these patients revealed improved survival when FWB rather than PRBCs or traditional component therapy was used for resuscitation, and FWB was found to be associated with minimal infectious risk in these military populations.