Patients undergoing blood tests before minor/moderate trauma surgery: a retrospective review

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to establish the number of unnecessary preoperative blood tests undertaken on ASA Grade 1 patients undergoing minor/moderate orthopaedic trauma surgery. DESIGN Review of all ASA1 patients who had been operated on the trauma lists for three consecutive months. SETTING UK Teaching Hospital. PARTICIPANTS Patients with ages ranging between 16 and 60 years, and undergoing a minor or moderate trauma operation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The type and number of blood tests were established and any abnormal results were checked for clinical significance and whether the result altered patients' management. The cost of each blood test was calculated so that potential savings could be identified. RESULTS A total of 127 patients (60 males, 67 females, average age 34) fulfilled our inclusion criteria. Ninety-five patients (75%) had either one or more preoperative blood tests of which 41% were abnormal but of no clinical significance. CONCLUSION From the results of our study, we conclude that preoperative blood tests are unnecessary in Grade 1 ASA patients undergoing minor/moderate orthopaedic trauma surgery. Unnecessary blood tests can waste time, money, resources and overburden laboratory staff.