Case study of transfusion related acute lung injury in intensive care unit

Abstract

Transfusion is a common method of treatment of haemorrhagic events of patients treated in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Nonetheless, it involves various dangers, in many cases fatal, such as transfusion related acute lung injury (TRALI). This article refers to the case encountered during our traineeship in the ICU. It is about a 47-year-old man, who was transported to us from another tertiary acute care facility intubated due to diabetic coma. After 39 days of treatment in the ICU, the acute diabetes mellitus, the hemodynamic instability and the electrolyte disorders were regulated. However, he started to have diffuse haemorrhagic events due to intestinal necrosis and required transfusion of blood factors. After the transfusion of Platelets (PLT) he developed Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), which evolved to TRALI and finally the death of the patient occurred.