Introduction
The Critical Care Society of Southern Africa (CCSSA) patient blood management (PBM) guidelines have been developed to improve patient blood management in critically ill patients in Southern Africa. These consensus recommendations are based on a rigorous process by experts in the field of critical care who are also practising in South Africa (SA). The process comprised a Delphi technique, a round
The Critical Care Society of Southern Africa (CCSSA) patient blood management (PBM) guidelines have been developed to improve patient blood management in critically ill patients in Southern Africa. These consensus recommendations are based on a rigorous process by experts in the field of critical care who are also practising in South Africa (SA). The process comprised a Delphi technique, a round table meeting (at the CCSSA National Congress, Durban International Convention Centre (ICC), 2018), and a review of the best available evidence and international guidelines. The guidelines focus on the broader principles of PBM and incorporate transfusion medicine (transfusion guidelines), management of anaemia, optimisation of coagulopathy, and administrative and ethical considerations.
There is a mix of low-middle- and high-income healthcare structures within Southern Africa. Blood products are, however, provided by the same not-for-profit non-governmental organisations to both private and public sectors. There are several challenges related to PBM in SA, owing most notably to a high incidence of anaemia, a frequent shortage of blood products, a small donor population, and a healthcare system under financial strain. The rational and equitable use of blood products is important to ensure best care for as many critically ill patients as possible.
The summary of the recommendations provides key practice points for the day-to-day management of critically ill patients. A more detailed description of the evidence used to make these recommendations follows in the full clinical guidelines section.
We acknowledge and thank the organisers of the CCSSA Congress 2018, all the authors who participated, the support of the CCSSA, as well as the Australian Critical Care Patient Blood Management Guidelines (Module 4) of 2012 and the British Committee for Standards in Haematology Guidelines of 2012. We also extend our thanks to Prof. Vernon Louw for his suggestions and advice.
Critical Care Society of Southern Africa Adult Patient Blood Management Guidelines: 2019 - Round-table meeting, CCSSA Congress, Durban, 2018_SAJCC_July 2020, Vol. 36, No. 1