Safety and advantage of perioperative autologous blood transfusion in hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
The safety and advantages of perioperative autologous blood transfusion (ABT) were evaluated on hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).


METHODS
Blood samples were obtained and stored from 30 patients with HCC. HCC cells were investigated by the presence of AFPmRNA using RT-PCR after storage. We also reviewed postoperative liver function and the long-term outcomes of 138 patients who underwent hepatectomy receiving ABT compared with patients receiving homologous blood transfusion (HBT) and patients without blood transfusion.


RESULTS
AFPmRNA was not detected in all samples stored for more than 14 days. Postoperative ALT, AST and total bilirubin in the HBT group were significantly higher than those of other groups. Patients in the HBT group had significantly lower survival rates than patients in the ABT group.


CONCLUSIONS
ABT was safe after storage and it had advantages compared with HBT with regard to postoperative liver function and survival rate after the hepatectomy for HCC.
Kitagawa
K
K
Digestive Surgery, Kyoto Kujo Hospital, Japan. Kskitagawa@aol.com
Taniguchi
H
H
Mugitani
T
T
Koh
T
T
Obayashi
T
T
Kunishima
S
S
Yamaguchi
A
A
Yamagishi
H
H
D001804:Blood Transfusion, Autologous; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000097:blood; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins