Staying one step ahead of TACO

Transfusion-associated circulatory overload (TACO) is a transfusion complication caused by pulmonary oedema. It's a leading cause of transfusion-related morbidity and mortality, and is particularly important as it is often preventable. 

TACO risk factors include cardiac or renal impairment, extremes of age, low body weight, hypoalbuminaemia, pre-existing fluid overload, transfusion volumes that are high relative to body weight and severe chronic anaemia. 

The Victorian Blood Matters Program and STIR have released a new poster resource for your health organisation.

TACO awareness and safety initiatives

Meet the Blood Matters team behind the checklist and hear how they see the checklist being used. 

Watch the video now

Registrars: Connect now with the Clinical Transfusion Education Program

Looking to strengthen your expertise in transfusion practice? 

The Clinical Transfusion Education Program is now open for trainee registrars. Please share this opportunity with your registrar colleagues as a valuable addition to their training and professional development.

Delivered virtually, this engaging program goes beyond theory to help build a confident, evidence-based approach to safe and appropriate transfusion practice. Participants will learn from a national network of multidisciplinary experts and gain practical insights they can apply in day-to-day clinical work.

Download this year's full program to explore upcoming sessions and topics.

Kick-off Session: Pretransfusion testing 

Available from 29 May 12:00pm (AEST)

Neonatal massive haemorrhage: Evidence and gaps 

A narrative review on the management of neonatal massive haemorrhage by Adelaide authors highlights the current evidence and knowledge gaps. It explores key aspects of neonatal physiology relevant to massive haemorrhage, principles of management and the available evidence to support clinical practice. The distinct neonatal physiological differences relevant to transfusion management are clearly outlined. 

Although there is limited available evidence, neonatal massive transfusion protocols may be useful for clinicians and health services to ‘facilitate communication between teams, avoid delays in management, and minimize errors.’ 

This review provides an understanding of the unique challenges in this high-risk group and will be of interest to both blood management committees and the multidisciplinary teams who work closely to rapidly and effectively manage haemorrhage – including neonatology, anaesthesia, nursing staff, haematology and the transfusion laboratory. 

Missed an update? Start here

Read the latest transfusion publications and register for upcoming meetings.

Join us for the fourth and final episode in our 'Lab to life' series 

'Human leukocyte antigen sensitisation from red cell transfusions: Rate and risk factors in renal and nonrenal patients requiring transfusion'

This webinar series provides a comprehensive overview of the principles, techniques, and importance of HLA immunoassay performed at Lifeblood. The final episode in the series will provide an understanding of how HLA mismatched blood transfusions lead to sensitisation and the main findings of the HAbiT trials and how Lifeblood supply HLA-compatible red cells for approved indications.    

Speaker: Dr Jeremy McComish, Consultant Immunopathologist 

Monday 22 June 2026

2.00pm (AEST) 

National Blood Donor Week 2026 (8-14 June)

We're celebrating all Australia's half a million donors.

Donate between 8 June and 19 July for a vibrant, limited-edition bandage by Aussie artist David Booth, inspired by drawings from the kids of the Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide.

We have a range of supporter assets for our teams that can be used to promote this week where we can share how donating blood makes life — and colour — possible for children with serious illness and injuries.

Australian Red Cross Lifeblood
100-154 Batman Street West Melbourne VIC 3003

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