[Anesthesia for pediatric open heart surgery without transfusion]

We reviewed 50 recent anesthetic managements of pediatric patients for open heart surgery weighing between 6.5 to 12 kg to evaluate factors contributing to successful management without transfusion. Twenty six cases were managed without transfusion, whereas nine cases required less than 30 ml.kg-1 of transfusion and the other 15 cases needed massive transfusion amounting to more than 50 ml.kg-1. The followings are important factors to complete the open surgery without transfusion; 1) the patient's weight is 9 kg or more, 2) the duration of cardiopulmonary bypass is less than 120 minutes, and 3) intraoperative bleeding is less than 10 ml.kg-1. We could find several advantages in patients without transfusion, compared with those receiving transfusion, such as greater urine output, less bleeding during the surgery, more concentrated platelet and better respiratory condition after the surgery. In addition, the lager the amount of transfusion we observed the more disadvantageous to the patients. Even if transfusion can not be avoided, minimal transfusion of the washed red cell is favorable.