title: Blood Conservation in Cardiac Surgery: In Need of a Transfusion Revolution.
abstract: Blood transfusion is the most common procedure in cardiac surgery. Increasing evidence exists that excess transfusions are harmful to patients. Transfusion reactions and complications, including infection, immune modulation, and lung injury, are known complications but underreported; hence, their significance is often disregarded. Furthermore, a number of randomized trials have shown that a restrictive transfusion strategy is equal to if not better than a liberal transfusion strategy. Despite the evidence for the use of restrictive transfusion triggers, its dissemination in the cardiac surgical community has met with resistance. In this review, we outline the risks of transfusion, compare restrictive and liberal transfusion strategies in cardiac surgery, and finally outline perioperative interventions to minimize transfusion in the cardiac surgical patient.
authors.affiliation: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY, USA robin.varghese@mountsinai.org.
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Varghese
authors.affiliation: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000379:methods*; D057668:Bloodless Medical and Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D019990:Perioperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D065227:Transfusion Reaction
keywords: antifibrinolytics; blood loss; cardiac surgery; cardiopulmonary bypass; postoperative care