title: Massive transfusion in adults. Diagnoses, survival and blood bank support.
abstract: In a retrospective study covering a 2-year period (1986-1987), 125 patients received massive blood transfusion. Trauma accounted for only 29% of the cases. The larger nontrauma diagnostic categories were: gastrointestinal hemorrhage, 31%; cardiovascular surgery, 12%, and oncology cases, 9%. The overall survival rate was 60%; survival rates ranged from 38% for patients with hepatic failure to 100% for obstetric cases. Clinically important alloantibodies were present in 4%, and transfusion reactions occurred in 9%. Massive transfusions accounted for a significant proportion of total blood component usage: at least 12% of the yearly total red cell units, 20% of plasma, and 14% of platelets transfused.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio.
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Sawyer
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Harrison
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001771:Blood Banks / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001788:Blood Grouping and Crossmatching; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D065227:Transfusion Reaction