Transfusion
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Rotation thromboelastometry (TEM) has been proposed as a convenient alternative to standard coagulation tests in guiding the treatment of coagulopathy during orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). This study was aimed at assessing the value of TEM in monitoring blood coagulation and guide transfusion support in OLT. ⋯ A10(EXTEM) is an adequate TEM variable to guide therapeutic decisions during OLT. Patients with A10(EXTEM) of greater than 35 mm are unlikely to bleed because of coagulation deficiencies, but using A10(EXTEM) of not more than 35 mm as the sole transfusion criterion can lead to unnecessary utilization of PLTs and fibrinogen-rich products.
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The clinical use of frozen plasma (FP) continues to increase, both in prophylactic and in therapeutic settings. In 2004, a systematic review of all published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) revealed a lack of evidence that supported the efficacy of FP use. This is an update that includes all new RCTs published since the original review. ⋯ Combined with the 2004 review, 80 RCTs have investigated FP with no consistent evidence of significant benefit for prophylactic and therapeutic use across a range of indications evaluated. There has been little improvement in the overall methodologic quality of RCTs conducted in the past few years.
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Recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) is widely used as an off-label rescue treatment for patients with nonhemophilic critical bleeding. ⋯ As a lifesaving treatment for critical bleeding, the incremental cost of rFVIIa was high. Careful patient selection is critical to balance the potential benefits of rFVIIa in an individual patient against the cost to the community.
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The increasing costs, limited supply, and clinical risks associated with allogeneic blood transfusion have prompted investigation into autologous blood management strategies, such as postoperative red blood cell (RBC) salvage. This study provides a cost comparison of transfusing washed postoperatively salvaged RBCs using an orthopedic perioperative autotransfusion device (OrthoPat, Haemonetics Corporation) versus unwashed shed blood and banked allogeneic blood. ⋯ This analysis suggests that transfusing washed postoperatively salvaged cells using the OrthoPat device is more costly than using unwashed shed blood in both THA and TKA. When compared to allogeneic transfusion, washed postoperatively salvaged cells carry a comparable cost in TKA, but potentially represent a significant savings in patients undergoing THA. Sensitivity analysis suggests that in the case of TKA, however, cost comparability exists within a narrow range of units collected and infused.