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September, 2026
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Jared Griffard: Hemorrhagic Shock and Component Blood Transfusion
Sep 3, 2026, 10:42

Jared Griffard: Hemorrhagic Shock and Component Blood Transfusion

Jared Griffard, Life Care Planner at JHG LCP, Trauma Surgeon at Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, shared a post on LinkedIn:

Hemorrhagic Shock Post 4: Component Transfusion Types

My last post talked about component vs. whole blood therapy, so let’s talk about the components

Blood is composed of red blood cells, plasma and platelets.

The plasma contains proteins, glucose, electrolytes, and clotting factors.

After donation of a unit of blood, it can be broken down into these components, and donation of plasma can be used to create fresh frozen plasma and cryoprecipitate.

Each serves a purpose:

  • Packed RBCs provide oxygen-carrying capacity to the tissues.
  • Fresh Frozen Plasma provides coagulation factors.
  • Platelets provide primary hemostasis by creating scaffolding for a clot to form.
  • Cryoprecipitate provides concentrated fibrinogen, Factor VIII, Factor XIII, and vWF, which are factors involved in the clotting cascade.

Prothrombin Complex Concentrate (PCC) is a concentrated clotting factor solution that can help with rapid vitamin K antagonist reversal (when applicable).

It is commercially available in 3 factor and 4 factor solutions.

Some of the direct oral anticoagulants also have directed antibody medications that can help bind them up and prevent their function if rapid reversal of anti coagulation is needed.

Massive transfusion protocols should activate early in exsanguinating patients.”

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