Use of blood bank services in a burn unit

Burn patients may need transfusions, especially during surgery. The purpose of the study was to determine blood bank services utilization at an urban burn center. This was a retrospective review (March 1999 to May 2004) of burn patient data on blood utilization. There were 1615 admissions; 800 (49.5%) of the patients had a type and screen (T and S); 180 of 1615 (11%) were transfused with 1691 red blood cell (RBC) units; 616 units of fresh- frozen plasma (FFP), 399 units of pooled platelets, and 38 units of apheresis platelets. Of the 180 transfused patients, 140 (79%) received RBCs, 11 (6%) received RBCs plus FFP, 23 (13%) received RBCs plus FFP plus platelets, and 3 (2%) each received RBCs plus platelets and FFP. Overall, 3393 red cell units were cross-matched, and 1691 units were transfused for a cross-match/transfused unit (C/T) ratio of 2.01. Seventy-three (5.7%) of 1282 of patients with 0% to 10% TBSA required transfusions; 42 (21%) of 193 with 11% to 20% TBSA; 24 (39%) of 61 with 21% to 30% TBSA; and 62% of patients with 31% or greater TBSA required transfusion (P = .001). As %TBSA increased, more of the cross-matched units were transfused: 37% in the 0% to 10% TBSA to 59% in the 30% or greater TBSA burn. The C/T ratio in the 0% to 10% TBSA was 2.69; only 18% of patients with a T&S received blood. Although most patients who underwent transfusion were in the less than 30% TBSA group, more of the red cell units were used in patients with a 30% or greater TBSA burn. Elimination of admission T&S and cross matches in burn patients with less than 20% TBSA may improve the C/T ratio in this cohort.