Association between transfusion of stored blood and bacterial infective complications after biliary operations

• Published in: The European journal of surgery Vol. 160; no. 6-7; p. 357
• Main Authors: Edna, T H, Bjerkeset, T, Svinsås, M, Drogset, J O, Skreden, K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01-06-1994
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Bacterial Infections - etiology; Biliary Tract Diseases - surgery; Blood Preservation; Blood Transfusion; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Postoperative Complications; Retrospective Studies
• ISSN: 1102-4151

To examine the association between blood transfusion and infective complications after biliary operations.
Retrospective cohort study.
District hospital.
875 consecutive patients who required biliary operations.
Postoperative infective morbidity in hospital.
73 patients (8%) developed postoperative infections in hospital. Univariate analysis showed that the development of infections was significantly associated with blood transfusion (p < 0.001), stones in the common bile duct (p < 0.001), operations on the common bile duct (p < 0.001), T-tube drainage (p < 0.001), duration of operation (p = 0.008), and age (p = 0.03). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that only blood transfusion and stones in the common bile duct were independent predictors of infection. The corrected odds ratios for infection were 4.7 (95% confidence interval (CI) 2.4 to 9.3) when 1-3 units of blood were given and 5.6 (95% CI 2.3 to 13.6) when more than three units were given.
Transfusion is an independent risk factor in the development of postoperative infection in hospital in patients who have had biliary operations.