What Researchers Did
Researchers reported on a critically ill patient who developed high levels of carbon monoxide in their blood due to severe internal bleeding from a retroperitoneal hematoma.
What They Found
After receiving 27 units of packed red blood cells for a large retroperitoneal hemorrhage, the patient's carboxyhemoglobin level reached a maximum of 6.4%. Despite controlled ventilation and external drainage, these levels stayed elevated between 1.7% and 5.6% for several days. The study noted that transfused red blood cells, potentially contaminated with carbon monoxide, might have contributed to the high levels.
Canadian Relevance
This study is not Canadian. However, it covers carbon monoxide poisoning, which is a Health Canada-recognised indication for hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Study Limitations
As a single case report, the findings of this study cannot be broadly applied to all patients with similar conditions.