Over the past few decades, much attention has been focused on the adverse reactions associated with the transfusion of red cell products including acute hemolytic reactions and infectious disease transmission. More recent data have drawn attention to the serious adverse reactions associated with the transfusion of blood components that contain large volumes of plasma, notably Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP). Despite a number of efforts to provide restrictive guidelines for FFP transfusion, the number of units transfused has risen over the past two decades. Data suggest further that many of the plasma transfusions may be inappropriate. Plasma transfusions are associated with a number of serious adverse reactions including transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI), transfusion-associated circulatory overload (TACO) and moderate-severe allergic/anaphylactic transfusion reactions (ATRs). This course will discuss the pathogenesis, recognition, and management of these reactions as well as any currently recommended steps for prevention/mitigation.
