[Blood transfusion practices in elective surgery at the Ospedale Maggiore di Parma: proposal for a table for maximum blood ordering].

In elective surgery the preoperative blood order goes beyond the real need. This excess results important problems in a Blood Bank management about blood aging and outdating, availability of particular groups and phenotypes, unnecessary laboratory work and extra-costs. The introducing of a Maximum Surgical Blood Order Schedule seems to be helpful in auto-reduction of blood request. The MSBOS is the maximum number of blood units which is transfused in 90% of cases during surgical procedures and within 72 hours postoperatively. This optimal blood order reflects a realistic hemotherapy in elective surgery. For those procedures which rarely required hemotherapy, a ABO-Rh typing and screening for unexpected antibodies (Type and Screen) is appropriate. The Authors have realised a MSBOS for 24 surgical procedures of General Surgery, Urology and Orthopaedy performed in the General Hospital of Parma during six month. The results compared with other data obtained from Literature suggest that there is not excess in blood use for elective surgery in the General Hospital of Parma.