[Rational blood reservation for elective surgery. A prospective evaluation of blood reservation, use of transfusions...

Danish and international studies have documented that preoperative blood ordering policy in elective surgery is extremely inefficient if not based on knowledge of actual transfusion frequencies and requirements. During a 12-month period, the impact of practical application of Type & Screen (T&S), and a thoroughly revised preoperative blood ordering policy in elective surgery, on crossmatch ordering, transfusion extent and safety were assessed prospectively. In addition, the effect on resource and laboratory economy was estimated, using the number of crossmatches, crossmatch to transfusion (C/T) ratio, out-dating, transfusion complications, and the proportional use of fractionated red cell products (erythrocyte concentrate and suspension) as efficiency parameters. In 86% out of 6,766 surgical procedures the recommendations were followed. A total of 1,736 patients had a preoperative cross-match of two or more units of blood and 25.1% were transfused during or within 48 hours following surgery. Only 2.4% of patients with T&S were transfused. Of the crossmatched blood 18.1% was actually transfused, and the overall crossmatch to transfusion ratio (C/T-ratio) was 5.33. In only 0.5% of operations, unexpected crossmatching and transfusions proved necessary during surgery. None of the reported transfusion complications were due to failure of the T&S procedure. During a period of increasing blood bank activities, as measured by the number of blood groupings and the blood turnover, a significant decrease in C/T-ratio and number of crossmatches was observed, corresponding to an estimated annual reduction of 11,000 crossmatches. Outdating declined from 9 to 3.2%, corresponding to savings of approximately 1,000 transfusion units annually, while the complication rate remained constant at 1.7%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)