Journal article
Blood loss and replacement for paediatric cranioplasty in Australia - a prospective national audit
PW Howe, MG Cooper
ANAESTHESIA AND INTENSIVE CARE | AUSTRALIAN SOC ANAESTHETISTS | Published : 2012
Abstract
We prospectively audited blood loss and blood replacement in every child less than 24 months of age undergoing cranioplasty for craniosynostosis in Australia during 2008, in order to obtain more accurate data for the discussion of perioperative transfusion risk. A total of 127 cases were performed at seven centres. There were no directed or autologous blood donations. No patient received preoperative erythropoietin. A total of 233 units of homologous red blood cells were transfused. Overall, 83% of patients received a blood transfusion. This included 100% of patients undergoing cranial vault reconstruction (CVR) and 98% of patients undergoing fronto-orbital advancement (FOA), but only 32% of..
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Funding Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank Mr David Chong, Mr Andrew Greensmith and Mr Tony Holmes, Craniofacial Surgeons, and Ms Annette de Costa, Clinical Psychologist, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Royal Children's Hospital, for their support and advice throughout the project; Dr Marija Borosak, Transfusion Medicine Specialist, Australian Red Cross Blood Bank and Ms Suzette Sheppard and Dr Andrew Davidson for their help in audit design.