A Systematic Approach to Reduce Blood Transfusions in Acute Type A Aortic Dissection Surgery

This study aimed to summarize our experience using a systematic approach to reduce blood transfusions in acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) surgery.From August 2016 to June 2020, 326 patients underwent ATAAD surgery in our center employing a systematic approach, which primarily included the following: Liu's aortic root repair technique, Liu's aortic arch inclusion technique with a frozen elephant trunk, moderate-to-mild hypothermia circulatory arrest, and application of centrifugal pump in cardiopulmonary bypass circuit. Patients were divided into two groups based on whether they had blood product transfusion during their hospital stay: transfusion group and transfusion-free group. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative outcomes were compared between the 2 groups.In the transfusion group, 152 patients were included, and in the transfusion-free group, 174 patients were involved; the transfusion-free rate was 53.37%. Patients in the transfusion group were significantly older than those in the transfusion-free group, and there were more patients with preoperative anemia and malperfusion in the transfusion group. Overall in-hospital mortality was 5.21% (17/326), with 3 mortalities (1.72%) in the transfusion-free group and 14 mortalities (9.21%) in the transfusion group (P = 0.0025). At tested time points, the Hb levels of patients between the 2 groups were similar.In ATAAD patients, the transfusion group showed significantly older patient age, more incidences of preoperative anemia and malperfusion, and higher in-hospital mortality than the transfusion-free group. Through Liu's systematic approach, ATAAD surgery can be achieved and safely carried out in ATAAD patients without blood product transfusion in selected patients.