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Association between transfusion of stored blood and bacterial infective complications after biliary operations
T H Edna1, T Bjerkeset, M Svinsås
1Department of Surgery, Innherred Hospital, Levanger, Norway.
Objective:
To examine the association between blood transfusion and infective complications after biliary operations.
Design:
Retrospective cohort study.
Setting:
District hospital.
Subjects:
875 consecutive patients who required biliary operations.
Main Outcome Measures:
Postoperative infective morbidity in hospital.
Results:
73 patients (8%) developed postoperative infections in hospital. Univariate analysis showed that the development of infections was significantly associated with blood transfusion (p < 0.001), stones in the common bile duct (p < 0.001), operations on the common bile duct (p < 0.001), T-tube drainage (p < 0.001), duration of operation (p = 0.008), and age (p = 0.03). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that only blood transfusion and stones in the common bile duct were independent predictors of infection. The corrected odds ratios for infection were 4.7 (95% confidence interval (CI) 2.4 to 9.3) when 1-3 units of blood were given and 5.6 (95% CI 2.3 to 13.6) when more than three units were given.
Conclusion:
Transfusion is an independent risk factor in the development of postoperative infection in hospital in patients who have had biliary operations.