Transfusion Management in Trauma: What is Current Best Practice?

AbstractPurpose of ReviewIn the past few years, transfusion strategies in trauma have changed dramatically. We aim to define current practices, explore the evidence leading to these shifts, and identify areas of contemporary research within this field.Recent FindingsSome major shifts include initiating blood products in the prehospital setting and favoring whole blood rather than individual blood components. Additional improvements include expanding trauma resuscitation to include AB plasma in untyped patients, several adjuncts given as part of massive transfusion protocols, and utilizing thromboelastography for individually tailored resuscitation. These practices remain at the forefront of trauma transfusion research with several trials completed and ongoing to establish their safety and practical value.SummaryThe degree of change over just the past few years highlights the opportunity for improvement in the field. Despite being standard of care for over a century, transfusion in trauma is still evolving to optimize patient care.

Source: Current Surgery Reports - February 15, 2023 Category: Surgery Source Type: research