POSSIBLE BENEFIT OF PREOPERATIVE BLOOD-DEPOSIT FOR ABDOMINAL-SURGERY

Predictors for the need of blood transfusion were analyzed using multi ple regression analysis in 1689 patients undergoing elective major abd ominal surgery before the age of 80 years and with a preoperative bloo d hemoglobin concentration above 110 g/L. Rectal surgery for malignant disease and pancreatic surgery (for malignant or benign disease) were associated with higher transfusion requirements (mean 2.4 units) than other operations (0.6 units). If two autologous units had been availa ble in these patients, the fraction needing allogeneic transfusion cou ld have been reduced from 59% to 31%. It would not be effective to pre donate more than 2 units. For other types of surgery the rate of allog eneic transfusion would not have been much reduced, and most autologou s blood would have been wasted.