Introduction:
Blood and blood products are still frequently used in cardiac surgeries despite the implementation of protection strategies against transfusion. According to the guidelines published by the American Society of Cardiothoracic Anesthesia, the use of cell saver is the class 1 recommendation for all patients who have infection or malignancy and undergo cardiac surgery. 
Objective, Materials and Methods:
In this retrospective study, we aimed to analyze the use of blood and blood products in cardiac surgeries and to investigate its effect on clinical outcomes. Patients who had open heart surgery at our clinic for coronary bypass and/or heart valve repair between 2006 and 2016 were included in our study. Perioperative transfusion requirements were noted. Also, patients were evaluated regarding survival, complication rates and the duration of hospitalization. Patients were divided into two groups considering the duration of hospital stay and the duration of the stay at the intensive care unit. 
Results:
The cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time and the cross clamp (Cx) time, and the amount of used cryoprecipitate (Cryo), fresh frozen plasma (FFP), platelet (PLT), erythrocyte suspension (ES) and the bleeding amount were significantly higher in the groups that stayed at the hospital for ˃ 7 days and at the intensive care unit (ICU) for ˃ 2 days (p˃0.05).
In the univariate model, to predict the patients who might stay at the hospital for more than one week and who might stay at the ICU for more than 3 days, we considered the significant efficacy of postoperative FFP, PLT, ES transfusion, bleeding amount, and the CPB time (p˂0.05). In the reduced multivariate model, however, we analyzed the significant-independent efficacy of the postoperative FFP use to determine the patients who would stay at the hospital for more than one week and who would stay at the ICU for more than 3 days (p˂0.05)
There was no significant correlation between the duration of ICU stay and age, BMI, and the levels of Hb, Htc, INR, BUN, and creatinine, whereas there  was a significant positive correlation between the Cx and CPB time, and the amouns of administered cryoprecipitate, FFP, platelet, ES and the bleeding amount (p ˂ 0.05).
Conclusion:
We have concluded that increased use of blood products was associated with the Cx and CPB time and prolonged duration of hospital and ICU stays. In open cardiac surgeries, the use of blood products due to bleeding was identified as a predictor for a stay longer than 3 days at the ICU and longer than 7 days at the hospital.


06 / Does transfusion of blood and blood products increases the length of stay in hospital?