Massive blood transfusion serves to prevent fatal outcomes from critical cellular hypoperfusion in a patient with uncontrolled haemorrhage. By developing and implementing massive transfusion protocols, overall usage of blood products and mortality related to complications have been reduced. There should be inter-professional healthcare collaboration for managing patients requiring massive blood transfusion. Significant pre-planning and coordination among involved departments, especially the blood bank, is of utmost necessity. However, even in presence of established protocols in prior published literature, practical scenarios convey a different message. Lack of prioritisation of actions and absence of specific roles for team members leads to confusion and delay in management of crisis, resulting in worse outcomes. We hereby have documented a practical approach to bring into effect massive blood transfusion protocol with specific roles and responsibilities for avoiding hurdles and streamlining the processes involved in such scenarios.
We have assigned specific tasks for the primary anaesthesiologist and those involved in procuring blood and managing the patient including nursing staff, technicians, housekeeping staff. Also, we have prepared a massive blood transfusion protocol kit to ensure ready availability of equipment. Resuscitation goals and targets to meet post massive transfusion have also been defined.
Each institute or hospital is varied in its infrastructure and availability of resources. Following a prescribed protocol for such an event as emergency massive blood transfusion may not be feasible unless there is a structured approach to the problem at hand. We suggest a personnel management protocol in an attempt to solve this issue. Specific tasks done by different team members lead to overall timely management and better patient outcomes.
Keywords
Massive Blood Transfusion Protocol; Non Technical Skills; Multidisciplinary; Role Allocation; Blood Bank