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Purpose : To examine the hidden blood loss (HBL) in treatment of AO type A1-A3 thoracolumbar fractures with three different approaches and to explore the influential factors of HBL among patients after the surgery of internal fixation for thoracolumbar fractures. Methods : We retrospectively studied 85 patients in treatment of thoracolumbar fractures: 25 patients via percutaneous approach (Group A), 33 patients via paraspinal approach (Group B), and 27 patients via conventional open approach (Group C). The demographic information of the patients was collected. Each patient's preoperative and postoperative hematocrit were recorded and used for calculating the blood loss according to the Gross's formula. The difference of blood loss between the three groups was measured by ANOVA. And influential factors were further analyzed by multivariate linear regression analysis in each group. Results : The average HBL was 240.0 ± 65.1 mL in Group A, 313.7 ± 138.1 mL in Group B, and 382 ± 153.8 mL in Group C. There was statistical difference in the HBL between three groups ( P = 0.000). However, multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that HBL of three approaches was not associated with age, gender, body mass index (BMI), percentage of height loss, percentage of height restoration, fracture type, or operation time. Conclusion : There was a substantial HBL in the treatment of thoracolumbar fractures, which was neglected by surgeons. Further investigation is necessary to study the risk factors for surgery on HBL in treatment of thoracolumbar fractures.

Purpose: To explore the hidden blood loss (HBL) in treatment of extra-articular tibial fractures with plate and intramedullary nail fixation., Methods: We conducted a retrospective study including 209 consecutive patients treated by plate (Group LCP) or intramedullary nail fixation (Group IMN) for extra-articular tibial fractures between January 2015 to December 2017. Demographics, intraoperative data, perioperative laboratory values, transfusion rate, and early complications were collected and analyzed., Results: Of 209 patients, 96 patients fixed with IMN and 113 fixed with LCP. The average HBL was 272.71 ± 57.88 ml in Group LCP and 507.66 ± 109.81 ml in Group IMN, and there was statistical difference in the HBL between two groups (p < 0.001). The Hb and Hct loss, surgical duration, and postoperative number of anemic patients in Group IMN were significantly higher than in Group LCP (p < 0.001), and IMN fixation has a significantly higher rate of transfusion (p = 0.027), whereas patients in group IMN has significantly less VBL (p < 0.001), shorter postoperative hospital stay (p < 0.001), and less superficial infection (p = 0.014)., Conclusions: There was a significant amount of hidden blood loss after reamed intramedullary nail fixation for extra-articular tibial fractures, which was much higher than expected. In view of the morbidity of acute anaemia and transfusion, we suggest that for patients who suffer from extra-articular tibial fractures with multiple injuries, or those with low haemoglobin preoperatively, plates might be more suitable than nail fixation., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: This study examined the volume of hidden blood loss (HBL) and compared perioperative blood loss between minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MI-TLIF) and open transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (O-TLIF)., Methods: Forty-eight patients who were treated with MI-TLIF and 59 patients treated with O-TLIF were enrolled in this study. Patients' height, weight, and preoperative and postoperative hematocrit (Hct) were recorded and used to calculate total blood loss (TBL) according to the Gross formula. Each patient's HBL was calculated. The data were further analyzed by the Student t test and the χ 2 test., Results: The visible blood loss (VBL) was 186 ± 95 mL in the MI-TLIF; however, the HBL (423 ± 233 mL; 66.5 ± 16.1% of TBL) was twice the VBL. The VBL in the O-TLIF group was 471 ± 147 mL, and the HBL was 271 ± 223 mL (31.3 ± 23.9% of TBL). Although TBL in MI-TLIF (602 ± 251 mL) was less than in O-TLIF (742 ± 275 mL), the HBL was significantly higher (P < 0.01). No difference in postoperative blood loss was observed between the 2 groups. Seven and 10 patients had preoperative anemia in the MI-TLIF group and the O-TLIF group, respectively, and 32 and 45 postoperatively., Conclusion: HBL is seriously underestimated and accounts for a large percentage of TBL in both MI-TLIF and O-TLIF. A correct understanding of HBL can ensure patient safety and improve postoperative rehabilitation., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) is a minimally invasive procedure for the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs). It is generally considered that there is little blood loss during the surgery. However, a significant perioperative hidden blood loss (HBL) is neglected. This study was to examine the amount of HBL and determine the influential factors during PKP., Methods: From January 2015 to January 2016, 115 patients with OVCFs who were scheduled to have a PKP were enrolled in this study. The factors analyzed included gender, age, body mass index (BMI), percentage of vertebral height loss, percentage of vertebral height restoration, number of fracture levels, bone mineral density (BMD), duration of symptom, cement leakage, and other internal diseases (hypertension, diabetes mellitus). According to Gross's formula, each patient's height, weight, and pre-operative and post-operative hematocrit were recorded and used for calculating the blood loss. Influential factors were further analyzed by multivariate linear regression analysis and t test., Results: The mean HBL was 282 ± 162 mL (mL) and the post-operative Hb loss was 8.7 ± 5.4 g per liter (g/L). According to multivariate linear regression analysis, patients with severe vertebral height loss (P = 0.016), better vertebral height restoration (P = 0.038), and multi-segmental vertebral fractures (P = 0.000) had a higher amount of HBL. Fresh fractures (P = 0.008) and cement leakage (P = 0.004) were also important factors to increase HBL, whereas gender (P = 0.642), age (P = 0.203), BMI (P = 0.075), hypertension (P = 0.099), diabetes mellitus (P = 0.905), and BMD (P = 0.521) were not correlate with HBL. When we compared the incidence of anemia between pre-operative and post-operative, we found that the incidence of anemia was significantly associated with HBL (P = 0.000)., Conclusions: HBL cannot be ignored in perioperative period, especially for poor physical condition and multiple fractures patients. Having a correct understanding of HBL can help improve clinical assessment capabilities, ensuring patients' safety.