Transfusion
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The combination of patient blood management (PBM) modalities and multicomponent apheresis permits us to administer even safer transfusions than those using the "safer-than-ever" blood components distributed in the beginning of the 21st century. PBM identifies a patient at risk of transfusion and formulates a multidisciplinary and multimodal-yet individualized-plan for reducing the need for allogeneic transfusion. Multicomponent apheresis can collect any combination of red blood cells, platelets, and plasma from the same donor during the same donation, and it should eventually reserve all components harvested from the same donation for transfusion to the same recipient. ⋯ PBM and multicomponent apheresis can meet a patient's transfusion needs with at least twofold fewer allogeneic donor exposures, thereby reducing the risk of infectious and immunologic complications of transfusion by at least twofold. The reduction in risk includes the leading cause of transfusion-related mortality (transfusion-related acute lung injury) and the cardinal threat to transfusion safety (the next "HIV-like" pathogen to emerge in the future). Once it is determined that PBM and multicomponent apheresis can replace the current blood-procurement system at a "reasonable" cost and without jeopardizing the supply of blood and components, the patient-centric paradigm should replace the current, component-centric paradigm of transfusion medicine to reduce the transfusion risk to the level of the ALARA risk.
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The use of therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) in hematopoietic stem cell transplant-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (TA-TMA) is controversial because the exact mechanism of injury in TA-TMA is not yet understood. ⋯ This is the first report evaluating TPE response in regard to procedure initiation time after TA-TMA diagnosis. Our data suggests that early initiation of TPE might be beneficial even in patients with multiorgan failure due to TA-TMA.
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Shock and severe tissue injury lead to an endogenous coagulopathy mediated by activation of Protein C and hyperfibrinolysis known as acute traumatic coagulopathy. Together, hemodilution, acidosis, inflammation, and hypothermia result in a global trauma-induced coagulopathy. Coagulopathy in trauma is associated with mortality. Early and effective hemostatic resuscitation is critical in restoring perfusion, correcting coagulopathy, and saving lives in exsanguinating trauma. Lyophilized plasma (LP) provides a logistically superior alternative to fresh frozen plasma (FFP). ⋯ By minimizing the volume of reconstituted LP and optimizing its anti-inflammatory properties, an LP resuscitation fluid may be created to provide effective hemostatic resuscitation with superior logistical properties.