Requirements for cross-matched blood in burns surgery

This prospective study of operative blood loss during burns surgery in 142 patients demonstrated no significant difference between the loss seen during layered excision and grafting up to 7 days after thermal injury and that observed during formal excision and grafting from 8 days onward. There was no significant difference between the blood loss in infants under 3 years old and that seen in older children and adults. From the data obtained, a graphical 'tariff' has been constructed for both children up to 20 kg and older children and adults over 20 kg in weight for the ordering of cross-matched blood for perioperative transfusion. It is suggested that the use of this tariff will help to strike a balance between the wasteful overprovision and dangerous underprovision of cross-matched blood for burns surgery.