Thrombotic and Infectious Morbidity Are Associated with Transfusion in Posterior Spine Fusion

Background Although previous investigators have established an association between blood transfusion and adverse outcomes, the relative frequency of different morbid events and the association with transfusion dose are not well understood. Questions/Purposes The purpose of the study is to characterize the relationship between blood transfusion and different types of morbidity after posterior spine fusion. Methods We retrospectively analyzed electronic medical records for 963 patients who underwent posterior spinal fusion surgery at a single institution, of which 603 (62.6%) received an allogeneic blood transfusion. Then, we assessed patient and surgical characteristics in a risk-adjusted fashion to identify various morbid event rates and independent predictors in these adverse outcomes. Results Compared to the non-transfused patients, transfused patients had a higher incidence of any morbid event (9.1 vs. 2.5%. P