Journal of perioperative practice
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If you should ask me to name the most important date in the whole history of surgery, I would reply, without a moment's hesitation, Friday October 16th 1846. The operation was a simple, almost trivial procedure, the removal of a small benign lump in the neck, but it marked the watershed between the past agonies of surgery and the modern era, where our patients enjoy the blissful oblivion of anaesthesia.
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The decision to transfuse patients perioperatively is made on an individual basis and should consider factors such as duration and severity of anaemia, symptoms, physiological parameters and comorbidities. Autologous blood transfusion has the benefit of avoiding some of the immunological and infective complications associated with allogenic blood transfusion. Pharmacological agents as well as anaesthetic and surgical techniques have a role in avoiding the need for blood transfusion.
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Performing surgery at an incorrect site has devastating outcomes. The National Patient Safety agency and Royal College of Surgeons England have provided recommendations to promote correct site surgery with emphasis on surgical markings. There is little published data on surgical site marking practices amongst surgeons. ⋯ An appropriate marker pen was used on 88% of patients. There is no evident published data to compare our practice to that of other surgical units, however, to improve correct site surgery markings should be visible, recognisable and understood by all specialties and grades. A universal marking system to improve correct site surgery may be beneficial.