Injury
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Multicenter Study
Clinical gestalt and the prediction of massive transfusion after trauma.
Early recognition and treatment of trauma patients requiring massive transfusion (MT) has been shown to reduce mortality. While many risk factors predicting MT have been demonstrated, there is no universally accepted method or algorithm to identify these patients. We hypothesised that even among experienced trauma surgeons, the clinical gestalt of identifying patients who will require MT is unreliable. ⋯ Data from this large multicenter trial demonstrates that predicting the need for MT continues to be a challenge. Because of the increased mortality associated with delayed therapy, a more reliable algorithm is needed to identify and treat these severely injured patients earlier.