Intraoperative cell salvage as part of a blood conservation strategy in an obstetric population with abnormal placentation at a large Irish tertiary referral centre: an observational study

Comprehensive management of Jehovah's Witness in pregnancy

Jehovah's Witness (JW) is a denomination of Christianity which has many-fold higher morbidity and mortality compared to the general population as they refuse blood transfusion. Information is scanty regarding guidelines on the optimal approach to pregnant ladies of JW faith. In this review we have attempted to analyse the ways and techniques available which can be used to reduce the morbidity and mortality of these women. In antenatal care, haematological status can be optimised to reduce modifiable risk factors, namely anaemia by parenteral iron therapy from the second trimester onwards especially in patients who do not respond to oral iron therapy. In severe cases, erythropoietin serves as an effective alternative to blood transfusion. During the intrapartum period, using antifibrinolytics, cell salvage, bloodless surgical techniques, and uterine cooling for patients undergoing caesarean delivery have been proven effective. To conclude, complications of pregnant JW patients may be reduced if they comply with the preventives and targeted monitoring during the various phases of pregnancy. Further studies are warranted as this population exists as a minor group but is growing worldwide.

KEY MESSAGES

CURRENT RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Management of severe peri-operative bleeding: Guidelines from the European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care: Second update 2022

BACKGROUND

Management of peri-operative bleeding is complex and involves multiple assessment tools and strategies to ensure optimal patient care with the goal of reducing morbidity and mortality. These updated guidelines from the European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care (ESAIC) aim to provide an evidence-based set of recommendations for healthcare professionals to help ensure improved clinical management.

DESIGN

A systematic literature search from 2015 to 2021 of several electronic databases was performed without language restrictions. Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) was used to assess the methodological quality of the included studies and to formulate recommendations. A Delphi methodology was used to prepare a clinical practice guideline.

RESULTS

These searches identified 137 999 articles. All articles were assessed, and the existing 2017 guidelines were revised to incorporate new evidence. Sixteen recommendations derived from the systematic literature search, and four clinical guidances retained from previous ESAIC guidelines were formulated. Using the Delphi process on 253 sentences of guidance, strong consensus (>90% agreement) was achieved in 97% and consensus (75 to 90% agreement) in 3%.

DISCUSSION

Peri-operative bleeding management encompasses the patient's journey from the pre-operative state through the postoperative period. Along this journey, many features of the patient's pre-operative coagulation status, underlying comorbidities, general health and the procedures that they are undergoing need to be taken into account. Due to the many important aspects in peri-operative nontrauma bleeding management, guidance as to how best approach and treat each individual patient are key. Understanding which therapeutic approaches are most valuable at each timepoint can only enhance patient care, ensuring the best outcomes by reducing blood loss and, therefore, overall morbidity and mortality.

CONCLUSION

All healthcare professionals involved in the management of patients at risk for surgical bleeding should be aware of the current therapeutic options and approaches that are available to them. These guidelines aim to provide specific guidance for bleeding management in a variety of clinical situations.

Effect of intraoperative cell rescue on bleeding related indexes after cesarean section

BACKGROUND

Obstetric hemorrhage is the leading cause of maternal mortality globally, especially in China. The key to a successful rescue is immediate and rapid blood transfusion. Autotransfusion has become an integral part of clinical blood transfusion, with intraoperative cell salvage (IOCS) being the most widely used.

AIM

To investigate the application of IOCS in cesarean section.

METHODS

A total of 87 patients who underwent cesarean section and blood transfusion in our hospital from March 2015 to June 2020 were included in this prospective controlled study. They were divided into the observation (43 cases) and control (44 cases) groups using the random number table method. The patients in both groups underwent lower-segment cesarean section. The patients in the control group were treated with traditional allogeneic blood transfusion, whereas those in the observation group were treated with IOCS. Hemorheology [Red blood cell count, platelet volume, and fibrinogen (FIB)] and coagulation function (partial prothrombin time, prothrombin time (PT), platelet count, and activated coagula-tion time) were measured before and 24 h after transfusion. In the two groups, adverse reactions, such as choking and dyspnea, within 2 h after cesarean section were observed.

RESULTS

Before and after transfusion, no significant differences in hemorheology and coagulation function indices between the two groups were observed (P > 0.05). About 24 h after transfusion, the erythrocyte count, platelet ratio, and FIB value significantly decreased in the two groups (P < 0.05); the PLT value significantly decreased in the two groups; the activated partial thromboplastin time, PT, and activated clotting time significantly increased in the two groups (P < 0.05); and no statistical differences were observed in hemorheology and coagulation function indices between the two groups (P > 0.05). Furthermore, there was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

In patients undergoing cesarean section, intraoperative cell salvage has a minimum effect on hemorheology and coagulation function and does not increase the risk of amniotic fluid embolism.

Intraoperative Cell Salvage for Women at High Risk of Postpartum Hemorrhage During Cesarean Section: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) can lead to substantial blood loss that compromises maternal hemodynamic stability and consequently cause severe maternal complications such as organ dysfunction or death. Intraoperative cell salvage (IOCS), an effective method of blood conservation used in other surgical specialties, can be an alternative intervention for managing PPH. Thus, our aim was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of IOCS for women at high risk of PPH undergoing cesarean sections. We conducted a systematic search of electronic databases from inception to February 25, 2021 for randomized controlled studies and observational studies published in English or Mandarin about IOCS use in cesarean sections. Primary outcomes of interest were changes in postoperative hematologic parameters and any adverse events reported among patients that had IOCS and controls that had an allogeneic blood transfusion. The certainty of the evidence of the outcomes was evaluated using the GRADE approach. A total of 24 studies with 5872 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Eleven randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and 13 observational studies were analyzed. Postoperative hemoglobin levels were higher among patients with IOCS SMD 0.39 (95% CI; 0.20, 0.60; P < 0.001, high certainty). Allogeneic blood transfusion increased adverse events RR = 1.81(95% CI; 1.24, 2.62; P = 0.002, low certainty). IOCS shortened hospital stay SMD - 0.59 (95% CI: - 0.98, - 0.19; P = 0.004, low certainty) and shortened prothrombin time SMD - 0.67 (95% CI; - 1.31, - 0.04), P = 0.037, low certainty). The lower incidence of transfusion-related adverse events and shorter hospital stay among other findings demonstrate that IOCS use in obstetrics is an effective and safe alternative for the management of PPH; however, high-quality randomized control studies are required to confirm this evidence.