Abstract
Background and Aim: It is important for the effective usage of blood products (BP) to reduce abandonment. The aim of this study was to evaluate effects by our Department of Blood Transfusion (DBT) to reduce abandoned BP over ten years (1998-2007).
Results: The main causes of abandoned BP were 1) unused BP after delivery from the DBT to the operating room, wards, or outpatients, 2) expiration, 3) death of patients who were allocated to receive blood transfusion, and 4) breakage of BP packages. Classifying the causes into four factors, namely 1. doctors, 2. nurses, 3. patients, and 4. technologists, medical appliances and blood center, the number of cases of abandoned BP due to doctor-related factors was largest.
Sixteen measures for reducing abandoned BP were developed, which included preceding reconfirmation of patient condition and laboratory data by the DBT, adequate amount of BP stored in the DBT, and sufficient communication between doctors and technologists of DBT on emergent blood transfusion. As for red cell concentrates, the frequency of assignment and/or restoration to the DBT decreased during the 10-year period, which reduced BP expiration. The ratio of abandoned to total BP was 0.24% in 1998, and was decreasing to 0.06% in 2007.
Conclusion: Measures to reduce abandoned BP due to expiration, encouragement of doctors to better understand blood transfusion, sufficient communication between doctors and technologists on emergent blood transfusion, and precautions against breaking the BP package can decrease abandoned BP.
