Massive bleeding: Are we doing our best?

Abstract

Massive bleeding accounts for more than 50% of all trauma-related deaths within the first 48h following hospital admission and it can significantly raise the mortality rate of any kind of surgery. Despite this great clinical relevance, evidence on the management of massive bleeding is surprisingly scarce, and its treatment is often based on empirical grounds. Successful treatment of massive haemorrhage depends on better understanding of the associated physiological changes as well as on good team work among the different specialists involved in the management of such a complex condition.