Pediatric resuscitation in the operating room

Association of red blood cell transfusion volume with postoperative complications and mortality in neonatal surgery

INTRODUCTION

Red blood cell transfusion (RBCT) is commonly administered in neonatal surgical care in the absence of clear clinical indications such as active bleeding or anemia. We hypothesized that higher RBCT volumes are associated with worse postoperative outcomes.

METHODS

Neonates within the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program-Pediatric database who underwent inpatient surgery (2012-2016) were stratified by weight-based RBCT volume: <20cc/kg, 20-40cc/kg, and >40cc/kg. Postoperative complications were categorized as wound, systemic infection, central nervous system (CNS), renal, pulmonary, and cardiovascular. Multivariable logistic regression and cubic spline analysis were used to evaluate the association between RBCT volume, postoperative complications, and 30-day mortality. Sensitivity analysis was conducted by performing propensity score matching.

RESULTS

Among 9,877 neonates, 1,024 (10%) received RBCTs. Of those who received RBCT, 53% received <20cc/kg, 27% received 20-40cc/kg, and 20% received >40cc/kg. Relative to neonates who were not transfused, RBCT volume was associated with a dose-dependent increase in renal complications, CNS complications, cardiovascular complications, and 30-day mortality. With cubic spline analysis, a lone inflection point for 30-day mortality was identified at a RBCT volume of 30 - 35 cc/kg. After propensity score matching, the dose-dependent relationship was still present for 30-day mortality.

CONCLUSION

Total RBCT volume is associated with worse postoperative outcomes in neonates with a significant increase in 30-day mortality at a RBCT volume of 30 - 35 cc/kg. Future prospective studies are needed to better understand the association between large RBCT volumes and poor outcomes after neonatal surgery.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV, Retrospective cohort study.

Children are not little adults: blood transfusion in children with burn injury

Blood transfusion in burns larger than 20% total body surface area (TBSA) are frequent due to operative procedures, blood sampling, and physiologic response to burn injury. Optimizing the use of blood transfusions requires an understanding of the physiology of burn injury, the risks and benefits of blood transfusion, and the indications for transfusion. Age also plays a role in determining blood transfusion requirements. Children in particular have a different physiology than adults, which needs to be considered prior to transfusing blood and blood products. This article describes the physiologic differences between children and adults in general and after burn injury and describes how these differences impact blood transfusion practices in children.

Intraoperative pediatric blood transfusion therapy: a review of common issues. Part I: hematologic and physiologic differences from adults; metabolic and infectious risks

Pediatric intraoperative transfusion therapy, particularly the approach to massive blood transfusion (blood loss > or =one blood volume) can be quite complex because of the unique relationship between the patient's blood volume and the volume of the individual blood product transfused. This paper is divided into two parts: part 1 presents an overview of the physiologic and hematologic differences between children and adults as well as an overview of the metabolic consequences of blood transfusions, risks of disease transmission, and blood compatibility issues.

Fresh frozen plasma in the pediatric pump prime: a prospective, randomized trial

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to determine whether the use of fresh frozen plasma (FFP) in the infant pump prime can avoid dilution of fibrinogen, decrease the need for blood product transfusion after bypass, and decrease exposure to donor blood products.

METHODS

Twenty infants weighing less than 8 kg were prospectively randomized to receive either 1 U of FFP (10 patients) or no FFP (10 patients) in the pump prime. Mean age (4.2 +/- 2.8 months), weight (4.3 +/- 1.1 kg), total prime volume (641 +/- 96 ml), cardiopulmonary bypass time, cross-clamp time, lowest temperature on bypass, and preoperative coagulation parameters did not differ between the two groups.

RESULTS

At the end of bypass, the mean fibrinogen level was significantly higher in the FFP than the no FFP group (123 +/- 20 versus 58 +/- 17 mg/dL; p < 0.0001), whereas the mean platelet count did not differ (60 +/- 25 versus 52 +/- 26 K/mm(3); p = 0.5). Patients in the FFP group received significantly fewer units of cryoprecipitate (0.4 +/- 0.8 versus 2.0 +/- 0.9 U/patient; p < 0.001), and had a mean total donor exposure of 4.1 +/- 1.5 U/patient versus 5.4 +/- 1.4 U/patient in the no FFP group (p = 0.06). The mean chest tube output over the first 24 hours did not differ between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of FFP in the pump prime significantly limited dilutional hypofibrinogenemia, decreased the transfusion of cryoprecipitate after bypass, and tended to decrease the overall mean patient exposure to blood products.