Preoperative anemia is a common condition in surgical patients, particularly those with end-stage liver failure. Liver transplant (LT) represents the last therapeutic option for end-stage liver failure patients. The procedure is often associated with major blood loss, requiring allogeneic blood product transfusions. The prevalence of anemia in LT recipients ranges from 2% to 28% and the prevalence of iron deficiency (ID) among LT recipients ranges from 45% to 60%. Several factors may contribute to anemia, including occult gastrointestinal bleeding, folate and vitamin B12 deficiency, autoimmune hemolysis, altered oxide-reductive balance, hypersplenism (in adults), and nutritional deficiency (in children). The intensive care unit (ICU) plays a vital role in the practice of LT recipients. A prolonged ICU stay consumes physical and financial resources. Among LT patients, it may be associated with an increased risk of complications and greater mortality. Preoperative ID may be able to identify patients who are likely to need a prolonged ICU stay after LT because of preoperative ID is associated with high intraoperative PRBC transfusion requirements in LT patients. Furthermore, the quantity of blood products administered intraoperatively is a well known independent risk factor for a prolonged ICU stay after LT. Improvements in preoperative evaluation, surgical techniques, and intraoperative anesthesia of LT recipients during the past decade have resulted in shorter ICU stay. We believe that to avoid prolonged ICU stay, transfusion is important during LT.
Key words: Iron Deficiency; Liver Transplant Recipients; İntensive Care.
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