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PRBC Blood Gas
Started by Aether2000
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From a Reddit posting, just for fun, they did a blood gas on a PRBC sample. View attachment 318279
Most Surprised about the Hgb concentration
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deleted87051
Most Surprised about the Hgb concentration
Yep. PRBC is not so packed.
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What’s the case? Covid? Plus ARF? Plus DKA? Plus impending doom?
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deleted87051
What’s the case? Covid? Plus ARF? Plus DKA? Plus impending doom?
This is the patient....
I have so many question but don't want to ask publicly out of fear of sounding stupidFrom a Reddit posting, just for fun, they did a blood gas on a PRBC sample. View attachment 318279
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deleted162650
I have so many question but don't want to ask publicly out of fear of sounding stupid
I think that ship has sailed.
😉

I think that ship has sailed.
😉
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Like what? Asking questions is not stupid.I have so many question but don't want to ask publicly out of fear of sounding stupid
He dead?
Oh ok. I get it now. Didn’t pay attention to the source.
I see some pretty severe numbers working with Covid patients so this isn’t that strange.
But yeah @SaltyDog , I am the dumbest rock out there.
We know your IQ and disgusting sexist lockeroom jokes are way off the charts.
Oh, on the "you know what measuring" site that is SDN....sometimes it can beLike what? Asking questions is not stupid.
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deleted162650
But yeah @SaltyDog , I am the dumbest rock out there.
We know your IQ and disgusting sexist lockeroom jokes are way off the charts.
I was joking around with Twig. My comment was directed at him, not you. Chill out and try reading the thread for a change.
Yeah, sure ok.I was joking around with Twig. My comment was directed at him, not you. Chill out and try reading the thread for a change.
Would guess that’s a pretty old unit of blood. Crit should usually be around 60 is what I was taught, don’t know about k value when those units are packed but K is probably high in this situation supporting the fact that this is old blood.
How would HCT change in an old bag of PRBC. Hemolysis?
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Yup. Same reason the K is high.How would HCT change in an old bag of PRBC. Hemolysis?
Yup. Same reason the K is high.
I need to read up on some laboratory science. How they actually measure HCT.
But maybe they lied to us in Medical School. I don’t have any pathology friends to verify it.How would HCT change in an old bag of PRBC. Hemolysis?
You beat me to it. I was trying to as well.I need to read up on some laboratory science. How they actually measure HCT.
I need to read up on some laboratory science. How they actually measure HCT.
light
It makes me ponder the effects of rapid infusion of >1 of these units of quite acidic, hyperkalemic PRBCs.
It makes me ponder the effects of rapid infusion of >1 of these units of quite acidic, hyperkalemic PRBCs.
We do it all the time in the OR. We don't transfuse just the fresh PRBCs, in fact blood bank tries to get rid of the older ones. So while the labs look very abnormal for PRBC (new or old) the clinical relevance doesn't seem so significant.
I’m also surprised by the blood sugar.. I would think high glucose would make a better culture for bacteria.
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deleted875186
All the PRBC preservative solutions have dextrose and adenine to keep the cells alive, and phosphate buffer! ADSOL I believe is the name.I’m also surprised by the blood sugar.. I would think high glucose would make a better culture for bacteria.
It makes me ponder the effects of rapid infusion of >1 of these units of quite acidic, hyperkalemic PRBCs.
Had an intraop death in residency that I wondered if it was related to old blood transfusion. VATS/decort for a mesothelioma pt, lots of suctioning noises, surgeon pulls the old "it's all old blood" card, pressure sags, pt was already anemic (8ish?), so started transfusing, QRS widened and went into VF, ACLS, eventually got back, lost again, never recovered. Wish we had an ABG right before things crumped but it was after the code started and looked like trash. Obviously acidotic and hyperkalemic. Could have been under-resuscitation leading to the code, but don't remember the hemodynamics being that deranged. Always wondered if that first bag of PRBC was one of those with like a K+ of 13 and that just tipped them over the edge.
It's called storage lesion guys... We get VIVA'd on it all the time in Australia. It's the worst. 
For those wondering: The K+ goes a lot higher than 13. It's ~30mmol/L at 28 days. That's why you ring the lab and ask for fresh stuff if it's an acidotic, hyperkalaemic patient on the precipice.
For those wondering: The K+ goes a lot higher than 13. It's ~30mmol/L at 28 days. That's why you ring the lab and ask for fresh stuff if it's an acidotic, hyperkalaemic patient on the precipice.
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Learning something new every day.Not surprised to see others say K can get a lot higher than 8.
This is why you should asked for washed RBCs or RBCs less than 5 days old in certain pts (small children, severe liver dz) as washing lowers the K and lactate.
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deleted875186
Love it, great thread from one ABG. I’ve only seen hyper K in massive transfusion, 10+ units. But definitely will be more cautious now hearing some other people’s experience.
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deleted875186
Also, I’ve done a case with massive transfusion where we washed all the PRBCs with the cell saver, K never moved from around 4 the whole time
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deleted87051
Also never microwave PRBC’s to warm them. This has actually been done and caused hyperkalemic arrest.
The K from one bag of red cells isn't going to kill a patient. It's the acidosis that gets them. Keep up with the calcium, insulin and bicarb.
We have cases where the patient gets 100+ products and end up doing well.
We have cases where the patient gets 100+ products and end up doing well.
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deleted162650
Also never microwave PRBC’s to warm them. This has actually been done and caused hyperkalemic arrest.
Plus they get soggy.
It makes me ponder the effects of rapid infusion of >1 of these units of quite acidic, hyperkalemic PRBCs.
Hyperkalemia associated with transfusion is a well known entity.