In this issue of Blood Transfusion, Manuel Muñoz and colleagues published a retrospective, matched cohort cost-analysis study on post-operative intravenous iron therapy in elective total lower limb arthroplasty…
In this study, we used a modified Sonoclot assay, using cuvettes with a glass bead activator containing heparinase, and compared the Sonoclot data before and after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) to assess the usefulness in predicting postoperative hemorrhage.
Anemia in patients undergoing CABG with CPB is bad, but blood transfusion can be worse, increasing at least 50% the risk for mortality and/or morbidity.