Since April 1986 we have made a marked effort to promote the proper use of blood and blood products based on the guidelines enacted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in 1996. Our effort was conducted by means of discussion and technical cooporation with surgeons and physicians in Kyoto hospitals. In order to evaluate the results of our effort, we reviewed the number of units delivered to hospitals and transfused, and the number of units delivered, not transfused and returned to the Blood Center and finally discarded.
The ratio of transfused concentrated red cells derived from 400ml whole blood donation (400-CRC) in total of. 400-CRC and 200-CRC increased from 28.2% in 1986 to 53.0% in 1989. The use of whole blood decreased slightly, and conversely the use of CRC increased during the same period. In particular, the use of fresh frozen plasma (FFP) decreased remarkably and the FFP/CRC ratio changed from 1.7 in 1986, to 1.3 in the first half of 1990. The use of blood and blood products was revealed to be more appropriate in several hospitals having an established blood transfusion service unit.
We think promotion of the proper use of blood and blood products should be emphasized continuously especially in the surgical field under the powerful guidance of the Ministry of Health and Welfare.