Risk Factors of Venkat and Guerrero for Blood Transfusion in a Patient Undergoing Adrenalectomy

Patient selection: adrenalectomy

Risk factors for blood transfusion:

(1) age >= 65 years (odds ratio 2.6 if >= 80 years, 1.7 if 65 to 79 years, compared to a patient <= 49 years)

(2) open adrenalectomy (odds ratio 14)

(3) preoperative hematocrit less than 38 percent (odds ratio 3.0)

(4) operative time > 150 minutes (odds ratio 3.7)

An ASA classification >= 3 had an odds ratio of 1.5 for blood transfusion.

The risk for complications increases with the number of units transfused.

A patient who is transfused may be at increased risk for:

(1) 30 day mortality

(2) overall morbidity

(3) wound complications

(4) cardiopulmonary complications

(5) septic complications

(6) return to the operating room

(7) prolonged length of stay