Hi everyone,

Recently Graeme and I were asked to help run a workshop here in WA for the ANZCA Emergency Response CPD programme – thanks for your help Graeme and Paras. Some of the key concepts were understanding blood products and the strategies / philosophies which have been used when deciding what to give in a major haemorrhage. We decided that this would make a great podcast discussion and so voila – here it is!

We discuss:

– massive transfusion protocols utilising empiric ratios of blood products (often heavy in FFP / plasma) versus the more targeted approach often based on rapid assessment of haemostasis using viscoelastic tests such as ROTEM / TEG.

– the four deficits in haemostasis which can develop; 1 fibrinolysis, 2 fibrinogen deficiency, 3 platelet deficiency, 4 thrombin deficiency.

-a description of the types of blood products available their pros / cons.

– why the use of large volumes of plasma probably doesn’t make sense and may in fact involve some harm to patients.

– an alternative strategy for empiric therapy when rapid tests of coagulation are not available empiric treatment with tranexamic acid and fibrinogen.

Thanks for another great dicsussion Graeme!