Paediatric anaesthesia
-
Paediatric anaesthesia · May 2015
A single-center strategy to minimize blood transfusion in neonates and children undergoing cardiac surgery.
The transfusion of blood products in the setting of uncontrolled bleeding is unquestionably lifesaving. However, in many instances, the decision to transfuse is based on physician gestalt rather than medical evidence. When indications for transfusion are unclear, the benefits of blood products must be balanced against their significant risks and associated costs. As our institution is a referral center for patients of Jehovah's Witness faith, this population has pushed our development of techniques to achieve the goal of bloodless surgery. Our practices in caring for this population have become our standard practice for managing all patients undergoing congenital cardiac surgery. ⋯ The techniques that we have developed to initially care for our Jehovah's Witness families may be applied to other pediatric and adult surgical procedures.