Anaesthesia and intensive care
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Jan 2012
Multicenter StudyBlood loss and replacement for paediatric cranioplasty in Australia - a prospective national audit.
We prospectively audited blood loss and blood replacement in every child less than 24 months of age undergoing cranioplasty for craniosynostosis in Australia during 2008, in order to obtain more accurate data for the discussion of perioperative transfusion risk. A total of 127 cases were performed at seven centres. There were no directed or autologous blood donations. ⋯ Children with recognised craniofacial syndromes and those undergoing repeat surgery appeared to have greater blood loss and blood product exposure. There were two cases of sudden massive haemorrhage secondary to dural venous sinus tear, but no death or perioperative cardiac arrest. These findings indicate that blood loss requiring blood product replacement is common in patients <24 months of age undergoing cranioplasty for craniosynostosis, particularly in patients undergoing FOA and CVR.