Management of blood and blood components at the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński National Institute of Cardiology

Abstract

Background: The clinical activity of the Institute of Cardiology is focused on diagnosis and therapy of coronary artery disease, arterial hypertension, cardiomyopathy, heart failure, acquired and congenital heart defects. On the other hand, interventional cardiology, concentrates on the treatment of acute coronary syndromes, percutaneous aortic valve implantation, transcatheter aortic valve implantation, transcatheter pulmonary valve implantation, percutaneous mitral commissurotomy, percutaneous closure of intra- and extra-cardiac defects as well as carotid, renal and peripheral angioplasty. Material and methods: The study aim was to analyze data and estimate the number of blood/blood component transfusions in the departments of the Institute of Cardiology over a two-year period (1st July 2018–30th June 2020). The data was supplied by the Transfusion Committee (TC) which cooperates with the Blood Bank and the Immunohematology Laboratory. Results: At the Institute of Cardiology, blood and blood components were most often transfused in the 1st Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy and in the operating room of the Department of Cardiac Surgery and Transplantology (over 87% of all blood components). Cryoprecipitate was transfused only in the operating room and in the 1st Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy. Before and after transplantation, patients were transfused with irradiated leukoreduced packed RBCs, inactivated FFP and pathogen inactivated leukoreduced apheresis PCs. Similar volumes of leukoreduced PCs (47.72%) and leukoreduced apheresis PCs (48.64%) were transfused. Patients allergic to plasma proteins were administered washed blood components (0.15% of all blood components transfused). Conclusions: Rational management of blood and blood components at the National Institute of Cardiology is ensured by following procedures, regular training of personnel and close cooperation between the Regional Blood Transfusion Center in Warsaw, members of the Transfusion Committee, the employees of the Blood Bank and staff of the clinics.