There has always been a debate if there is an overuse of blood products. The resulting overuse of blood is problematic, and may do worse, if given transfusions prematurely or unnecessarily.On the other hand, it has also been experienced that in patients who undergo major surgeries, specially cardiac surgery, severe perioperative bleeding is seen.
A study in Germany (clinical trials conducted in 100 cases) found that certain blood clotting treatment algorithms not only decreased blood transfusion requirements in cardiac surgery patients, but also were associated with improved outcomes, including decreased incidences of adverse events such as acute lung injury, renal failure, sepsis and thromboembolic complications. The study used specific bedside testing -- so called "point-of-care testing," -- to examine the function of components of the blood clotting cascade, as well as platelet function to supplement clinical judgment in deciding on the need for blood transfusions. The details of the study is available in the September issue o fAnesthesiology, a leading medical journal.
Reference: AABB Newsletter