A078 Can We Make Aortic Valve Replacement A Zero Transfusion Procedure?

Abstract

Aortic valve replacement (AVR) surgery has a moderate risk of requiring perioperative red blood cell (RBC) transfusion. It has previously been shown that there is no difference between liberal and restrictive blood transfusion protocols for short and long term outcomes after cardiac surgery. We aim to identify the rates of RBC transfusions in our cohort and any association with major complications, mortality, intubation time, ICU stay and overall hospital stay in our cohort. A retrospective study was performed on the 126 public patients who underwent isolated AVR between January 2016 and December 2019 at Dunedin Public Hospital and Mercy Hospital. Redo operations and patients who were Jehovah's Witness were excluded. Out of 126 patients, 39 patients (30.9%) underwent RBC transfusions and 25 patients (19.8%) underwent non RBC transfusions in the perioperative period. There was a positive correlation between perioperative RBC transfusions and length of ICU (p<0.01) and total hospital stay (p<0.01). Perioperative RBC transfusions were associated with prolonged ICU and hospital stay for patients undergoing isolated AVR. Adherence to a restrictive transfusion protocol will potentially reduce RBC transfusion rates, thereby reducing transfusion related costs and associated complications. Further studies are being undertaken to assess the impact of restrictive transfusion.