A single-center experience with head-to-toe microsurgical reconstruction in bloodless medicine patients

Patients who decline blood transfusions, including members of the Jehovah's Witness faith, often face challenges when they require or desire prolonged operations such as free tissue transfer (FTT). This study aims to outline our institution's experience with treating bloodless medicine patients and offers the first anatomically comprehensive evaluation of FTT in this population. All patients undergoing FTT from 2017 to 2020 at a single institution were retrospectively reviewed. Patients who declined blood products were selected. Outcomes of interest include flap success, operative complications, and changes to hemoglobin measurements. Ten patients undergoing 11 FTT procedures were identified. Average age was 62.4 years (SD 7.6). Most patients were female (n = 9) and Black (n = 8). Average body mass index was 31.3 (SD 5.6), American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status was 2.9 (SD 0.5), and Charlson Comorbidity Index was 3.8 (SD 1.1). Sites of FTT reconstruction were breast (6), lower extremity (3), and scalp (2). Average operative time was 390 min (SD 85.1), with an average estimated blood loss of 170 mL (SD 100.4). The difference between preoperative hemoglobin to first postoperative hemoglobin measurement averaged 2.2 g/dL (SD 1.4). Average patient follow-up was 12 months (SD 7.8). Flap success occurred in 10 cases. One patient with flap failure was successfully reconstructed with a second procedure. Despite a small, heterogeneous cohort, our success rate in this highly comorbid population indicates that FTT can be performed effectively for patients who cannot use blood products. Bloodless medicine protocols are beneficial to providers serving patients with transfusion restrictions and systems that strive to limit transfusion volume and risk. (c) 2021 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons.

Automated summary

This study retrospectively analyzed patients who declined blood transfusions and underwent FTT procedures from 2017 to 2020. The study evaluated the outcomes and changes in hemoglobin measurements. The results showed a relatively high success rate of FTT procedures, even in a population with high comorbidity.