[Use of fresh frozen plasma in a Swiss hospital district]

The causes of a unexpected rise in the consumption of fresh frozen plasma (FFP) in the years 1977-1980 are analyzed. FFP appears to be used increasingly in the department of surgery, and more specifically cardiac surgery, in the University Hospital. No basic changes are registered regarding the type of operations performed or the indications for prescribing FFP. At the same time, consumption of FFP in nonspecialized regional hospitals has increased to only a minor extent. It is pointed out that FFP is collected from blood donations and, as a product of human origin, should be used with moderation.