Advances in cardiac surgical transfusion practices during the 1990s in a Finnish university hospital.
OBJECTIVE
Recent transfusion practices in coronary artery bypass (CABG) operations in a Finnish university hospital were evaluated, utilizing the data stored automatically in hospital registers.


METHODS
The register-based transfusion data on all 2363 CABG patients operated on during a 2.5-year period, from 1997 to 1999, were analysed and compared with a review of surgical transfusion practices in Finland from 1993 to 1994.


RESULTS
The rate of allogeneic transfusion showed a decrease from 76% in 1993-94 to 48% in the time-period January to June 1999, and the mean number of donor exposures decreased from 3.3 to 2.0 units per patient. The mean blood product purchase costs per patient almost halved from 1993-94 to 1997-99.


CONCLUSIONS
Hospital registers provide a good means for prompt evaluation and reporting of large-scale transfusion data. Since 1993, transfusion rates and costs in CABG operations have decreased markedly. Further development of transfusion registers is warranted.
Capraro
L
L
Finnish Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service, Kivihaantie 7, FIN-00310 Helsinki, Finland. leena.capraro@bts.redcross.fi
Syrjälä
M
M
D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D005387:Finland; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized; D012042:Registries