[Management of massive transfusion - the role of the blood transfusion service]

Abstract

Massive transfusion (hemorrhage) is defined as blood transfusion exceeding the circulatory blood volume within 24 hours. Here, we investigated cases of massive transfusion, defined as transfusion of more than 21 units of red blood cells within 24 hours, in our institution in the period from August 2005 to March 2013. Massive transfusion accounted for approximately 1% of all blood transfusions in our institution, and the majority were cardiac surgery cases (75%), with 80% of the cases receiving blood transfusion irtfhe operating theater. Brain-dead heart and liver transplantations were started in our hospital in 2006. Due to the revision of the Organ Transplantation Law in July 2010, brain-dead organ donations increased in Japan. Massive transfusion was required in approximately 47% of heart and 41% of liver transplants, with 44% of the transplants being conducted on holidays, and 47% at night. Therefore, the implementation of a 24-hour duty system for medical technologists, including holidays, is essential for the prompt testing and supply of blood products. For improvement of the safety of blood supply, a computer network system, connecting the blood control system of the blood transfusion service, the anesthetic system of the operating theater, and the hospital general medical system, was implemented in our hospital in March 2007. In the operating theater, anesthetists can request blood products, order new blood products, cross-check the provided blood products, and register their use, using this system. At the blood transfusion service, the blood products to be provided are cross- checked against the anesthetists' requests. Through this system, the anesthetists and blood transfusion service staff can check the list of blood products available for the surgical patient as well as those already transfused, on a real-time basis. For analysis of the improvements achieved, we compared the number of non-used blood units, i.e., the number of those provided minus the number of transfused units in the surgical theater, in the period after (2009-2012) and before (2005-2006) the implementation of this computer network system. In the period after its implementation, the number of non-used units decreased from 17.4 units to 7.5 units (P<0.001), leading us to conclude that this system helped avoid the excessive ordering of blood products by the anesthetists. (Review).