An analysis of a preoperative pediatric autologous blood donation program

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of a pediatric autologous blood donati on program. DESIGN: A retrospective study of patient charts and blood-bank records. SETTING: The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, a tertiary car e, pediatric centre. PATIENTS: One hundred and seventy-three children who received blood transfu sions for a total of 182 procedures between Tune 1987 and Tune 1997. INTERVENTIONS: Autologous and homologous blood transfusion required for maj or surgical intervention, primarily spinal fusion. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Surgeons' accuracy in predicting the number of autol ogous blood units required for a given procedure, compliance rate (children 's ability to donate the requested volume of blood), utilization rate of au tologous units and rate of allogeneic transfusion. RESULTS: The surgeons' a ccuracy in predicting the number of autologous units required for a given p rocedure was 53.8%. The compliance rate of children to donate the requested amount of blood was 80.3%. In children below the standard age and weight c riteria for blood donation the compliance rate was 75.5%. The utilization r ate of autologous units obtained was 84.4% and the incidence of allogeneic transfusion was 26.6%. CONCLUSIONS: There was a high rate of compliance and utilization of predona ted autologous blood in the children in the study. Preoperative blood donat ion programs are safe and effective in children, even in those below the st andard age and weight criteria of 10 years and 40 kg.