ASSOCIATION BETWEEN PERIOPERATIVE BLOOD-TRANSFUSION AND DEHISCENCE OFANASTOMOSIS AFTER RECTAL RESECTION FOR CANCER

Perioperative blood transfusion (PET) has proved to increase the risk af sepsis after surgery. The hypothesis that. PBT also might increase the occurrence of leak of rectal anastomoses has been tested. The data of 94 patients undergone low anterior resection for rectal cancer wer e reviewed. Thirty-nine of them (41%) received one or more packed red cells (PRC) units perioperatively. The total dehiscence rate was 14% ( 13 cases), and it was significantly lower in not-transfused (4%) compa red to trasfused patients (28%) (p < 0.005), The risk of dehiscence wa s increased by six-fold if up to two. and by fifteenfold if more than two PRC units were given. These findings suggest that leakage of recta l anastomoses should be considered among the detrimental effects of PE T. The risk of dehiscence increases with the number of units transfuse d. A judicious administration of blood might contribute to reduce this complication.