Reduction of blood use in surgery for XXXX .

@entity1 @entity788 @entity583 @entity190 @entity453 @entity943
Ninety consecutive @entity1 underwent surgery for @entity453 . Eighty-one (90%) did not require blood transfusion in the immediate postoperative period; nine @entity1 received 16 units of blood, 6 of whom bled excessively; 2 were re-explored. Twelve had post-operative haemoglobins below 8.5 G/dl during their stay. They were transfused a total of 28 units of blood before discharge. Post-operative @entity190 in the 9 transfused early averaged 894 +/- 176 ml (SEM). Loss from the not transfused @entity1 averaged 481 +/- 18 ml (p less than 0.001). @entity1 transfused later had a mean loss of 510 +/- 36 ml (P NS). Sixty-nine @entity1 were not transfused. Haemoglobin on the first post-operative day was 11.3 +/- 1.3 G/dl (SD). This declined to 10.2 +/- 1.2 G/dl on the fifth day. Discharge haemoglobin was 10.5 +/- 1.2 G/dl. Two @entity1 died, one of @entity583 on the third day and the other of @entity788 on the fourth. Both had had early blood transfusion. Haemoglobins were above 10 G/dl. Of the 69 untransfused @entity1 17% had @entity943 . Ten percent had serous wound discharges; 3 were infected. There were no sternal dehiscences. It is concluded that bank blood transfusion with its attendant hazards and expense is easily avoidable in most @entity1 . This saving of resources will increase the availability of blood and rare groups for surgery.
