Hazards and limitation of perioperative transfusion: need to adopt blood transfusion guidelines

ABSTRACT

Blood transfusion is an important component of perioperative management of patients and in many instances can be lifesaving. Anesthesiologists are an important member of the multidisciplinary team involved regularly in requesting and administering blood components to the patients. Therefore, it is essential that anesthesiologists are familiar with indications and appropriate use of blood components and also with limitation and adverse effects associated with its use. Numbers of international guidelines regarding transfusion are available; however, these guidelines require local translation into policies, protocols and practice in order to deliver care to the patient. Institutions need to identify their local barriers and resources available and consult from the evidence based international guidelines to develop their own guidelines on blood transfusion. However, it must be remembered that it is a multidisciplinary engagement involving blood bank, laboratory, operating room and clinical staff; therefore, it is a challenging task which demands coordinated team work to translate guidelines into safe patient care