Use of whole blood in pediatric congenital heart surgery.
Whole blood use in infant heart surgery cut donor exposures versus standard blood
Use of whole blood in pediatric congenital heart surgery.
Cardiopulmonary bypass is necessary for surgical repair of complex congenital heart disease.
This was a single-center retrospective chart review of infants who underwent cardiac surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass between May 2019 and February 2023.
whole blood exposed infants to fewer donors than standard blood
The whole blood cohort used whole blood for intraoperative transfusion needs over individual blood components.
Whole blood recipients had lower postoperative platelet counts and fibrinogen levels, but no clinical markers of increased postoperative bleeding compared with the standard group.
There was no statistically significant difference in length of stay, mechanical ventilation days, postoperative transfusion requirements, or time to delayed sternal closure between groups.
The whole blood cohort was found to have fewer donor exposures and less intraoperative individual blood component use but no difference in postoperative outcomes.
Continued research must be pursued to understand if whole blood with new circuit techniques and hemostatic interventions can reduce transfusion needs and lead to superior results.