3-2

Massive blood loss

Expected or unexpected major haemorrhage.

START.
1
Call for help
2
Oxygen and anaesthesia
3
IV access
4
Control bleeding
5
Call blood bank
6
Active warming
7
Rapid infusion
8
Team management plan
9
Monitor progress
10
Calcium and TXA
11
Recombinant factor VIIa
12
Plan ongoing care
Box A SPECIAL CASES

Seek advice from haematologist if:

Non-surgical uncontrolled bleeding despite PRBCs/FFP/platelets

Warfarin overdose

Newer oral anticoagulants (e.g. dabigatran/rivaroxaban)

Inherited bleeding disorder (e.g. haemophilia, von Willebrand disease)

Box B TRANSFUSION GOALS

Maintain Hb > 80 g.l⁻¹

Maintain platelet count > 75×10⁹ l⁻¹

Maintain PT and APTT <1.5 × mean control (FFP)

Maintain fibrinogen >1.0 g.l⁻¹ (cryoprecipitate)

Avoid DIC (maintain blood pressure, treat/prevent acidosis, avoid hypothermia, treat hypocalcaemia and hyperkalaemia)

Box C DRUG DOSES

CALCIUM (use either the chloride or gluconate):

Adult: 10 ml of 10% calcium chloride i.v.

Adult: 20 ml of 10% calcium gluconate i.v.

Child: 0.2 ml.kg⁻¹ of 10% calcium chloride i.v.

Child: 0.5 ml.kg⁻¹ of 10% calcium gluconate i.v.

TRANEXAMIC ACID:

Child: 15 mg.kg⁻¹ i.v. bolus then 2 mg.kg⁻¹.h⁻¹ until bleeding stops

Adult: 1 g i.v. bolus, then:

Obstetric haemorrhage, repeat dose 30 min later

Non-obstetric haemorrhage, 1 g i.v. infusion over next 8 h