Survival advantage of using autologous blood transfusion during surgery for esophageal cancer.
This interesting article raises once again the issue of whether or not allogeneic transfusion can hasten the relapse of cancer and shorten overall survival. There is a lot of information both ways, so the issue is not settled. The current paper suggests that allogeneic transfusion is doing something that autologous transfusion is not. It is […]
Acquired factor VII deficiency in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients.
This is an interesting and new case report on the occurrence of acquired factor VII deficiency in eight patients following intensive chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy followed by hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT), associated with serious and sometimes fatal hemorrhagic complications with poor response to transfusion of blood components. Tests for antibodies against FVII were negative. It […]
Persons with early syphilis identified through blood or plasma donation screening in the United States.
The paper shows that early syphilis infection is often detected in blood donors and thus demonstrates that syphilis testing in blood donors should not be omitted (this question is currently being discussed in the USA). Furthermore, by comparing remunerated (“paid”) and non-remunerated (“voluntary”) donors, the study shows that there is no significant difference as far […]
Intraoperative cell salvage in radical retropubic prostatectomy.
This article attempts a risk evaluation with only 62 patients. Unfortunately, statistics tell us that, even to show a risk increase (e.g., of metastasis) by as much as 10%, one needs more than 1000 patients (Harrison et al., Br J Surg 1992;79:355-357)! In terms of transfusion risks, a level of sensitivity of 10% is out […]
Is homologous blood transfusion a risk factor for infection after hip replacement?
Note: It is difficult to ascertain transfusion as a factor entirely separate from co-morbidity. – F. Regan and M. Contreras.
Amplification of the DNA polymerase I gene of Treponema pallidum from whole blood of persons with syphilis.
The article confirms by means of the sensitive PCR technique that Treponema pallidum may be found in blood during the whole course of syphilis infection. – V. Kretschmer.
Liver resections with or without pedicle clamping.
The authors demonstrate in a well-thought-out study what we have all suspected based on trauma experience: that temporary clamping of the hepatic pedicle, or the Pringle manouver, can reduce blood loss and the need for transfusion without jeopardizing the patient. – R. K. Spence.
