During the past decade, the practice of massive transfusion (MT) has expanded appreciably from simply a definition to now a more comprehensive management strategy for hemorrhagic shock referred to as damage control resuscitation (DCR). This new therapeutic paradigm is based on a broader understanding of the pathophysiology of hemorrhagic shock and now integrates advances from multiple disciplines. Recently, comprehensive transfusion guidelines for management of hemorrhage after injury have been developed in part by the Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium, Trauma Outcomes Group, and the Prospective Observational Multicenter Major Trauma Transfusion (PROMMTT) studies , and these guidelines continue to be refined. Substantial reductions in mortality and blood product waste can be demonstrated after introduction of a resuscitation strategy for the exsanguinating patient that includes the diagnosis of specific hemorrhage-associated coagulopathies and identification of several extreme metabolic imbalances that may develop as a result of severe shock or in the aftermath of massive resuscitation. Moreover, many resuscitation principles developed in the context of care of the seriously injured patient are applicable to the management of severe hemorrhage occurring as a complication in other specialties such as peripheral vascular and cardiovascular surgery, transplant surgery, critical care, cardiology, general surgery, obstetrics, and neurosurgery.