I need some help. We have a new neurosurgeon who is insisting that we keep 5 platelet pheresis products on-hand at all times for potential brain bleeds. To give you some background, we are a 350 bed hospital withOUT a trauma designation and who does not do solid organ transplant. Our platelet usage has been reduced by half in the past 2 years as blood loss during surgical procedures has been curtailed. I have been working very hard to cut down on platelet waste. In 2014, there were months when we wasted 8-12 units of platelets/month. We are about 3 hours from our blood supplier.
If there is anyone out there willing to share their protocol for patients with brain bleeds? I would be MOST appreciative! It would be especially nice if your hospital was similar in size to ours and/or has the challenge of being greater than 60 miles from your blood supplier.
Thanks in advance!