Dedicated donor unit transfusions reduces donor exposure in pediatric surgery patients

Many strategies have been explored to reduce multiple donor exposures in neonates such as use of restrictive transfusion protocols, limiting iatrogenic blood loss, use of recombinant erythropoietin and single donor programs. In our study we assessed the feasibility of dedicating single donor units with reserving all the components from the same donor for the specified neonates/infants undergoing surgery and estimating reduction of donor exposure. Fifty neonates undergoing surgery were included in the prospective study group and the transfusion details were compared with 50 retrospective cases with same inclusion criteria. An intra-operative blood loss of >13 ml/Kg was significantly associated with transfusion (