Association between transfusion of stored blood and bacterial infective complications after biliary operations.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the association between blood transfusion and infective complications after biliary operations.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

District hospital.

SUBJECTS

875 consecutive patients who required biliary operations.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Postoperative infective morbidity in hospital.

RESULTS

73 patients (8%) developed postoperative infections in hospital. Univariate analysis showed that the development of infections was significantly associated with blood transfusion (p < 0.001), stones in the common bile duct (p < 0.001), operations on the common bile duct (p < 0.001), T-tube drainage (p < 0.001), duration of operation (p = 0.008), and age (p = 0.03). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that only blood transfusion and stones in the common bile duct were independent predictors of infection. The corrected odds ratios for infection were 4.7 (95% confidence interval (CI) 2.4 to 9.3) when 1-3 units of blood were given and 5.6 (95% CI 2.3 to 13.6) when more than three units were given.

CONCLUSION

Transfusion is an independent risk factor in the development of postoperative infection in hospital in patients who have had biliary operations.