Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthésie
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To summarize the physiology and pathophysiology relevant to perioperative blood loss in children. Strategies to reduce blood losses are reviewed. ⋯ Reducing perioperative allogenic blood transfusions is possible in pediatric patients provided that prophylactic measures are adapted to age, disease and type of surgery.
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Colloid solutions are widely used to prevent or to correct hypovolemia in surgical patients. Although more efficacious than crystalloids, they are more expensive and can be associated with adverse effects, in particular when they interfere with the hemostatic system. ⋯ In most cases, the clinical consequences of the biological effects of colloids on hemostasis are limited, provided that safety considerations are observed (maximum daily dosage, duration of treatment, patient's hemostatic status, clinical conditions). The implications may be different in patients with hemostatic disorders, either inherited or related to preoperative antiplatelet or anticoagulant treatment. In these patients, crystalloids, gelatins or even albumin solutions should be preferred when hemodilution exceeds 30% of the circulating blood volume.
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Variability has been reported in the practices to determine death by neurological criteria for adults and children. The objective of this study was to determine if this variability exists in the Canadian context. ⋯ These findings reinforce the need to standardize the practice of the neurological determination of death in Canadian centres, which has the potential to reduce practice variation. Clear medical standards for NDD augment the quality, rigour and credibility of this determination.