Transfusion medicine
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Transfusion medicine · Dec 2011
Cryoprecipitate transfusion: assessing appropriateness and dosing in trauma.
Originally developed for patients with congenital factor VIII deficiency, cryoprecipitate is currently largely used for acquired hypofibrinogenemia in the context of bleeding. However, scant evidence supports this indication and cryoprecipitate is commonly used outside guidelines. In trauma, the appropriate cryoprecipitate dose and its impact on plasma fibrinogen levels are unclear. ⋯ In our hospital, where transfusion guidelines are overseen by transfusion medicine specialists and technologists, and policies for rapid blood component and laboratory turnaround times exist, it is possible to achieve high rates of appropriateness for cryoprecipitate transfusion in trauma. The current recommended dose causes a modest increase in fibrinogen levels (0.55 g L(-1) ).