ASSOCIATION BETWEEN AGE AND BLOOD-LOSS IN CHILDREN UNDERGOING OPEN-HEART OPERATIONS

Background. Although recent studies indicated young children are at ri sk for increased perioperative hemorrhage after open heart operations, the associations between patient age, blood loss and blood product tr ansfusions have not been fully defined in children. Methods. Periopera tive blood loss and blood product transfusion data were recorded for 4 14 consecutive children undergoing open heart procedures. The children were in the following age groups: I month or younger, group 1; older than 1 month to 12 months, group 2; older than 1 year to 5 years, grou p 3; and older than 5 years, group 4. Results. Postoperative blood los s and blood product transfusions were inversely related to age and dif fered significantly between the four age groups. Multiple preoperative and intraoperative factors that possibly influence hemostasis also di ffered significantly between age groups. Median units transfused withi n 72 hours differed significantly with age (p < 0.0001): group 1, 8 un its (range, 1 to 19 units); group 2, 6 units (range, 0 to 21 units); g roup 3, 2 units (range, 0 to 23 units); and group 4, 0 units (range, 0 to 38 units). Conclusions. Blood loss and transfusions vary inversely with age. Per kilogram of body weight, neonates bled more and receive d more donor products than any other age group. (Ann Thorac Surg 1998; 66:870-6) (C) 1998 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.