Appropriateness of perioperative blood transfusion in patients undergoing cancer surgery: A prospective single-centre study

BACKGROUND: Allogenic blood transfusion is associated with several potential complications, especially in patients with cancer. The objective of this prospective single-centre study was to identify the rates of perioperative blood transfusion and overtransfusion in a tertiary-level cancer hospital. METHODS: Between March and May 2008, we studied all adult patients undergoing elective major cancer surgery under anaesthesia and recorded intra- and immediate post-operative (within 24 h) blood transfusions and post-operative investigations. Overtransfusion was defined as post-transfusion haemoglobin (Hb) exceeding 10 g/dL. RESULTS: One hundred and eighty-six of 1175 (16%) patients received perioperative blood transfusion. The main trigger for intraoperative transfusion was blood loss exceeding the patient's maximum allowable blood loss (92, 49%). Ninety-five (51%) transfused patients had post-transfusion Hb more than 10 g/dL. The rate of overtransfusion was not higher in patients who received single-unit transfusions. CONCLUSION: The perioperative transfusion rate in patients undergoing cancer surgery was 16%. More than half of these patients were overtransfused. Following this audit, point-of-care facilities for intraoperative haemoglobin measurement have been introduced.