Hypovolemic phlebotomy reduces perioperative red blood cell transfusions, with no increase in incidence of complications<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter<\/b>
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WEDNESDAY, Dec. 11, 2024 (HealthDay News) — For patients undergoing liver resection, hypovolemic phlebotomy reduces perioperative red blood cell transfusions compared with usual care, according to a study published online Dec. 9 in The Lancet Gastroenterology and Hepatology<\/em>.<\/p>\n Guillaume Martel, M.D., from the University of Ottawa in Ontario, Canada, and colleagues conducted a superiority, randomized controlled trial to examine whether hypovolemic phlebotomy before liver resection is superior to usual care for reducing red blood cell transfusions. A total of 486 patients were randomly assigned to receive hypovolemic phlebotomy (removal of 7 to 10 mL\/kg of whole blood without volume replacement) or usual care (245 and 241 participants, respectively); 22 and 18 patients, respectively, were excluded from the primary analysis population as they did not undergo liver resection.<\/p>\n The researchers found that 8 and 16 percent of patients assigned to hypovolemic phlebotomy and usual care, respectively, had a perioperative red blood cell transfusion by 30 days (difference, \u22128.8 percentage points; adjusted risk ratio, 0.47). Overall, 17 and 16 percent of patients allocated to hypovolemic phlebotomy and usual care, respectively, had severe complications to 30 days; overall complications to 30 days occurred in 61 and 52 percent, respectively. No postoperative mortality was seen to 90 days.<\/p>\n “Use of hypovolemic phlebotomy before liver transection resulted in significantly fewer perioperative red blood cell transfusions than with usual care,” the authors write.<\/p>\n Several authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.<\/p>\n Abstract\/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)<\/a><\/p>\n Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)<\/a><\/p>\n