Perioperative Management to Prevent Allogeneic Blood Transfusion in Liver Surgery

Considerable surgical blood loss is a recognized complication of hepatic surgery. Allogeneic blood product transfusion can be used to treat anemia related to surgery. However, research has shown that transfusing blood products exposes the patient to multiple risk factors. Methods of surgical and anesthetic management of blood loss such as establishing acute normovolemic hemodilution and maintaining low central venous pressure can prevent the need for a transfusion. This case study outlines the use of acute normovolemic hemodilution and low central venous pressure to prevent allogeneic blood transfusion in a patient undergoing hepatic resection.