Cow's blood saves life of crash victim in world first procedure

By DAVID GARDNER FOR MAILONLINE
Updated: 20:32 EST, 4 May 2011

Tamara Coakley's life was saved after a synthetic blood was created using cow plasma and then transfused into her

Doctors have saved the life of a woman car crash victim with the first ever use of cow’s blood.

Tamara Coakley, 33, rejected a life-saving conventional blood transfusion because of her Jehovah’s Witness faith despite being close to death.

But in a world’s first procedure, a synthetic blood substitute made from cow plasma was used to revive the patient just as her heart was failing through severe blood loss.

The success of the procedure could help combat the worldwide blood supply shortage.

Mrs Coakley’s religion permits the use of blood substitutes and doctors in Melbourne, Australia, flew in ten unites of the haemoglobin- based experimental plasma – called HBOC-2-1 – from the United States where it is being developed by the military.

The cow’s blood product was painstakingly administered over two days to Mrs Coakley, who had been in a medically-induced coma following a horrific car collision last October.

After a few close calls, including a bout of pneumonia, the patient’s haemoglobin levels more than doubled.

Mrs Coakley was overwhelmed by the lengths doctors went to save her life and respect her personal choices.

‘I’m glad something positive could come out of it. They did everything they could. I am so grateful for that,’ she said.

Mrs Coakley was overwhelmed by the lengths doctors went to save her life and resect her personal choices

Unlike donor blood, it does not require crossmatching and can be stored without refrigeration for up to three years.

‘It’s a bit of science fiction,’ said Associate Professor Mark Fitzgerald, of The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne. ‘Currently only one in 30 people give blood, but one in three will need it.’