Blood transfusion practices in the operating room

Introduction: Blood transfusion is a therapeutic procedure frequently performed in the operating room.

Objective: The aim of the study was to analyze transfusion practices in surgery performed in the operating theatre of the Med V military hospital in Rabat.

Patients and methods: This was a prospective descriptive study carried out in the central operating room. All patients transfused during scheduled surgery were included. Patients transfused in an emergency were excluded. The following parameters were recorded for each patient: age, sex, type of operation, transfusion history, ASA class, previous medications interfering with hemostasis or coagulation, type of anesthesia, transfusion criteria, products transfused and patient outcome.

Results: From January 2023 to January 2024, 6362 patients underwentsurgery and 306 (4.8%) were transfused. Orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery and urological surgery were the most frequent transfusion recipients. Red blood cells were the most frequently transfused labile blood product (LBBP). The presence of antiplatelet agents, anemia and NSAIDs were predictive of intraoperative bleeding. Indications for transfusion were based on clinicalcriteria in 84% of cases. 12 patients presented hemorrhagic shock and18 cases of massive transfusion were noted. The mortality rate was 0.65%.

Conclusion: Transfusion practices remain variable. Management requires detection of bleeding-risk situations. Rationalizing the use of PSL requires the development of protocols.