The past century has seen many advances in the field of resuscitation. This is particularly true in the subset of patients who sustain major injuries causing hemorrhagic shock and require massive transfusion over 10 units of blood within the first 24 hours. Controversies on how best to resuscitate these patients include the role of fresh whole blood (WB), stored WB, fresh frozen plasma (FFP), platelets (PLTS), colloid solutions, balanced electrolytes solution, vasopressors and diuretics. This review summarizes the often-contradictory recommendations observed and studied by a single trauma surgeon working in a busy urban acute care center for 65 years.
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