Quantitative evaluation of blood loss severity in surgical practice

AIM: To develop a quantitative method of evaluation of the volume and degree of intraoperative blood loss. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Blood loss quantitation is based on maximal collection of the lost blood and its measurement by lost globular volume (GV), i.e. erythrocyte containing medium with Ht 1.0. RESULTS: The total of the components of lost GV was termed estimated blood loss (EBL). Its amount was calculated by GV deficiency from the due in the patient and volume of lost blood. The method was tried in surgical and traumatological practice in 317 operated patients (multitrauma--65, hip bone fractures -98, uterine myoma -105, aneurysm of abdominal aortic part -49). CONCLUSION: The volume of blood loss guided the physician to reestablish volume of circulating blood--the volume of infused blood exceeded EBL 1.3-1.7-fold. GV deficiency (in %) showed severity of blood loss and gave approaches to its adequate compensation.