Excessive wastage of blood resources in elective colorectal surgery.
A prospective study of perioperative blood transfusion requirements for elective colorectal surgery over a 6-month period has been conducted. A total of 106 procedures was performed, 94 of which were for malignancy. A median of 2 units of packed red cells was cross-matched per patient. Twenty-three patients (21.7%) required a transfusion in the postoperative period. Fourteen of these patients required a second cross-match sample because their transfusion occurred more than 48 h after the original request. The greatest transfusion requirements were for patients undergoing abdominoperineal resection or subtotal colectomy. Routine perioperative cross-matching and reservation of blood for elective colorectal surgery may be an unnecessary expense, resulting in wastage of resources. A selective policy of serum being retained for grouping in these patients is justified.
Farouk
R
R
Department of Surgery, Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow, UK.
Drury
J K
JK
Smith
I S
IS
Mack
A J
AJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016913:Blood Component Transfusion; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D003106:Colon / Q000601:surgery*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012007:Rectum / Q000601:surgery*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires