BLOOD-TRANSFUSION PRACTICES AFTER RESECTION OF INTRATHORACIC NEOPLASMS

A heightened awareness of the risks of blood transfusion an the previo usly reported common administration of blood products (31-55%) followi ng thoracic surgery prompted us to evaluate our recent transfusion pra ctices. Of 355 patients who underwent a thoracotomy or median sternoto my from July 1987 through September 1991, 91 (25.6%) were transfused a mean 3.1 units of blood within the first 30 postoperative days. Trans fused and nontransfused patients were compared with respect to age, bo dy surface area, preoperative hemoglobin, estimated operative blood lo ss, and estimated postoperative hemoglobin. Univariate analyses of var iance indicate significant (P < 0.01) differences between the two grou ps of patients for preoperative hemoglobin, blood loss, and estimated postoperative hemoglobin. Transfusion frequencies by year of operation are: 1987, 36%; 1988, 31%; 1989, 33%; 1990, 23%; 1991, 15%. We conclu de that our transfusion requirements are lower than reported rates and that clinical parameters may help predict the need for subsequent tra nsfusion. (C) 1993 Wiley-Liss. Inc.