Transfusion
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Comparative Study
Unacceptable variability of hemoglobin estimation on samples obtained from ear punctures.
Sampling techniques were studied for the determination of the hemoglobin in volunteer blood donors. First, finger, ear, and venous samples were collected from 50 volunteers. Then five volunteers were monitored for a three-day period and finger, ear, and venous samples were collected daily. ⋯ We found that the microhematocrits averaged 7 per cent higher from blood obtained from ear puncture than from either finger puncture or venous puncture. Microhematocrits obtained from blood obtained by ear puncture were less accurate and less precise than blood from finger punctures. Finger puncture samples exclude approximately 6 per cent more donors than does blood from ear punctures.
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The outdating of units of blood can be reduced by decreasing the amount of time they spend in an assigned or crossmatched status. This reduction can be achieved in a hospital by establishing a maximum surgical blood order schedule (MSBOS) which reduces the excessive number of units of blood crossmatched preoperatively for patients undergoing elective surgery. The various steps which occurred in the development of a MSBOS in a large general hospital are detailed and the projected reduction in the number of crossmatched units which can be achieved with the MSBOS is illustrated. illustrated. The projected number of units of blood transfused to patients during their hospitalization for 50 common primary surgical procedures in the United States during 1974 is presented as a basis for defining maximum blood orders for each procedure.