Blood loss and transfusion rates during repair of craniofacial deformities.

Surgical procedures for correction of craniofacial deformities resulted in unavoidable and extensive blood loss in small children and infants. Almost all of the patients undergoing these procedures will undergo a blood transfusion either during or immediately after the operation. A retrospective review of 30 patients who underwent craniofacial surgery was performed in this study to determine the magnitude of transfusion required for craniofacial surgery, document transfusion morbidity, and identify variables associated with the transfusion. The mean estimated blood loss was 566.8 mL, the mean intraoperative transfusion was 394.8 mL, the mean postoperative transfusion was 103.2 mL, and the mean total transfusion was 505 mL. The mean operative time was 450 minutes, the mean preoperative hemoglobin and the mean postoperative hemoglobin before hospital discharge were 11.6 g/dL and 10.3 g/dL, respectively. Craniofacial surgical procedures involve extensive scalp dissection and calvarial and facial bone osteotomies in patients with a low total blood volume. Every medical and surgical strategy for minimizing the need for blood transfusion should be considered.