Blood usage among orthopedic patients at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Blood transfusion holds a significant place in the practice of surgery, including orthopaedic surgeries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the intraoperative use of blood and blood products among orthopaedic patients operated at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital from January 2021 to December 2021, focusing on the demographics of patients, number and type of surgeries needing a blood transfusion, and the number of blood transfusions.

Methodology: A retrospective observational study was carried out at the operating theatre of a referral tertiary hospital using a designed proforma to extract data from the registers of operated orthopaedic patients.

Results: There were 168 males and 145 females who were operated on, and 43 (13.74%) of them had intra-operative blood transfusion. Patients between 41 to 50years and 51 to 60 years dominated the distribution with a total of 20 (46.5%), out of 59 blood transfusions carried out. The surgical condition requiring the highest number of blood transfusions was fractures (29), followed by foot gangrene (17) occasioned by diabetes mellitus and peripheral vascular disease. Open reduction and internal fixation for fractures (18) constituted the highest single type of surgery carried out within the study period.

Conclusion: A bimodal age distribution was observed in intraoperative blood transfusion requirements. The orthopaedic intraoperative blood transfusion burden was 13.74%, mainly for open reduction and internal fixation for fractures.

Keywords: Blood Transfusion; Nigeria; Orthopedic Patients; Port Harcourt; RSUTH; Theatre.