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Pre-operative blood tests in children undergoing plastic surgery
J M Ansermino1, M Than, P D Swallow
1St Andrew's Centre for Plastic Surgery and Burns, Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, Essex, UK.
Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England
|June 12, 1999
Summary
Routine pre-operative blood tests in children undergoing plastic surgery often yield abnormal results with no clinical significance. This practice causes unnecessary discomfort, further testing, and increased healthcare costs.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Clinical Pathology
Background:
- Pre-operative blood tests are standard for surgical patients.
- The necessity and yield of routine blood tests in pediatric plastic surgery are not well-defined.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the clinical significance of routine pre-operative blood test abnormalities in children undergoing plastic surgery.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 1177 children undergoing plastic surgical procedures.
- Analysis of pre-operative blood test results for 487 children.
Main Results:
- Abnormal results were found in 138 children (28.3%).
- Most abnormalities were clinically insignificant, including minor hemoglobin, platelet, and white blood cell count variations.
- One case of sickle-cell trait was confirmed.
Conclusions:
- Non-selective pre-operative blood testing in pediatric plastic surgery leads to unnecessary investigations and costs.
- Abnormal findings rarely impact surgical decisions or patient management.