The Prospective, Observational, Multicenter, Major Trauma Transfusion (PROMMTT) Study

Abstract

Injury is increasing in incidence, the second leading cause of death worldwide, and the leading cause of years of life lost in the United States.^1,2 Uncontrolled hemorrhage after injury is the leading cause of potentially preventable death.^3-9 As opposed to other major causes of traumatic death (eg, traumatic brain injury and multiple organ failure), hemorrhagic deaths occur quickly and are frequently associated with massive transfusion (MT) (traditionally defined as ≥10 units of red blood cells [RBCs] in 24 hours).^10,11 Current transfusion practices consist of infusing crystalloid, RBCs, plasma, and platelets and date back to the 1970s when separation of donated whole blood into its component parts became commonplace.^12-16