MASSIVE TRANSFUSION

Course overview

MASSIVE TRANSFUSION IS TRADITIONALLY DEFINED AS TRANSFUSION OF 10 UNITS OF PACKED RED BLOOD CELLS (PRBCS) WITHIN A 24 HOUR PERIOD. THE GOAL OF MASSIVE TRANSFUSION IS TO LIMIT COMPLICATIONS AND TO LIMIT CRITICAL HYPOPERFUSION WHILE SURGICAL HEMOSTASIS CAN BE ACHIEVED. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE CURRENT LITERATURE ON MASSIVE TRANSFUSION PROTOCOLS, EXPLORES THE POTENTIAL COMPLICATIONS OF THIS LIFE-SAVING INTERVENTION, AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN MANAGING PATIENTS WHO NEED BLOOD PRODUCTS.