This document, Patient Blood Management Guidelines: Module 1 – Critical Bleeding/ Massive Transfusion, is the first in a series of six modules that focus on evidence-based patient blood management. The other five modules are perioperative, medical, critical care, obstetrics and paediatrics (including neonates). Together, the six modules replace the 2001 National Health and Medical Research Council/Australasian Society of Blood Transfusion (NHMRC/ASBT) Clinical practice guidelines on the use of blood components. ¹

This document was developed by a Clinical/Consumer Reference Group (CRG) representing specialist colleges, organisations and societies, with the active participation of the clinical community.

This Executive summary includes:

• a summary of the recommendations that were developed by the CRG, based on evidence from a systematic review
• a summary of the practice points that were developed by the CRG through consensus decision-making
• a template for a massive transfusion protocol (MTP) ^a , which can be adapted to meet local needs.

Details of the systematic review used in the development of this module are given in the two-volume technical report that accompanies this document. ^2,3

Materials relevant to clinicians who manage patients with critical bleeding requiring massive transfusion will be developed to accompany this module; these materials will be available online and in print.

^a The use of the word ‘protocol’ in ‘massive transfusion protocol’ throughout this report is not strictly prescriptive.