Session: 15-01-01: ASME International Undergraduate Research and Design Exposition

Paper Number: 151632

151632 - Fresh Whole Blood Transfusion in Austere Environments – Materials Testing 

In the United States Army, hemorrhaging continues to be the leading cause of preventable death for Soldiers in Combat [1]. Further, another study found that all fatalities from hemorrhaging died before arriving at a medical facility [2], demonstrating the importance of having functional field-grade equipment to treat these injuries. One of the solutions to treat hemorrhaging is whole blood transfusion, which has been used extensively by the military to treat casualties since World War I [3]. While this process has been developed significantly since 1917, current military officers and flight surgeons have reported complications when utilizing whole blood transfusion kits in austere environments. Austere environments are categorized as low-pressure and low-temperature regions. Further, research has found serious health risks associated with the materials of the current tubing, PVC with di (2- ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). In collaboration with the Naval Health Research Center (NHRC), researchers at the United States Military Academy (USMA) seek to understand the mechanisms that lead to poor performance of the transfusion kits in austere environments and design a new transfusion kit to ensure soldiers in the field receive quick and life-saving treatment. As part of the USMA research, this work specifically focuses on the effects of temperature on the material properties and performance of the blood transfusion kit. This study aims to observe reported challenges with tubing in a simulated cold environment to understand the significance of these reports. Additionally, this study plans to test the material properties of the current tubing in cold environments to establish baseline conditions. From there, other PVC and plasticizer tubing combinations can be tested and compared against the original material to determine potential alternatives for the tubing materials currently used in blood transfusion kits.

 

References

1.      U.S. Army DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory Public Affairs. Stopping bleeding saves lives on the battlefield. U.S. ARMY, 3 May 2021, https://www.army.mil/article/245725/stopping_bleeding_saves_lives_on_the_battlefield#:~:text=Hemorrhaging%20is%20a%20leading%20cause,saving%20solution%20in%20their%20pocket

2.      Katzenell, Udi, Nachman Ash, Ana L. Tapia, Gadi A. Campino, Elon Glassberg. Analysis of the Causes of Death of Casualties in Field Military Setting. Military Medicine, vol. 177, no. 9 (2012): 1065-1068. https://watermark.silverchair.com/milmed-d-12-00161.pdfA.

3.      Borgman, Jacob Chen, Jason B Corley, Heidi Doughty, Andrew Fisher, Elon Glassberg, Richard Gonzales, Shawn F Kane, Wilbur W Malloy, Shawn Nessen, Jeremy G Perkins, Nicolas Prat, Jose Quesada, Michael Reade, Anne Sailliol, Philip C Spinella, Zsolt Stockinger, Geir Strandenes, Audra Taylor, Mark Yazer, Barbara Bryant, and Jennifer Gurney. 8 © 2024 by USMA Whole Blood Transfusion. Military Medicine, Vol. 183 (2018): 44–51. https://doi.org/10.1093/milmed/usy120.

Presenting Author: Keira Vesy United States Military Academy

Presenting Author Biography: Keira Vesy is a senior-year student at the United States Military Academy where she is pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering. She is involved with research in the Civil and Mechanical Engineering Department at the United States Military Academy, studying blood transfusion in austere environments. Keira is focusing on preventing material failures in blood transfusion kits in extreme colds by performing material testing in an environmental chamber. From there, Keira hopes to improve the quality of blood transfusion kits by identifying alternative tubing materials that mitigate the effects of low temperatures on the kit’s function. Her involvement in this research project is motivated by an interest in device development and a desire to improve and save people’s lives. After graduating from the Academy with an undergraduate degree and commissioning into the US Army, she intends to apply to graduate school to further her knowledge of biomechanical and biomedical engineering and help improve the medical field.

Authors:

Emine Foust US Military Academy
Keira Vesy United States Military Academy