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Biomedical subjects

R K Haugen

Publications and source records attributed to R K Haugen.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

A large-scale autologous blood program in a community hospital. A contribution to the community's blood supply.

In an attempt to eliminate the hazards of homologous blood transfusions during major orthopedic surgical procedures, 1672 patients donated 6615 units of autologous blood in a ten-year period. Most of the blood components were stored frozen. The autologous units were later used in 1938 surgical procedures. Intraoperative blood salvage yielded 125,105 mL of blood with an average hematocrit of 80% (0.80), which was reinfused into 934 patients. Autologous blood components accounted for 95% of the transfusion requirements. Thus, the risks of homologous transfusions were avoided in the vast majority of the procedures. Ninety-one percent of the donors were older than 50 years of age and 8.4% were between 80 and 91 years of age. The large-scale use of autologous blood has been feasible, practical, and cost efficient, has contributed to the community's blood supply, and provides the patient with the safest blood available--his own blood.

Adolescent↗

Hepatitis after the transfusion of frozen red cells and washed red cells.

The large-scale use of frozen red cells and washed red cells in this transfusion service has not been effective in reducing post-transfusion hepatitis. Seventy-eight per cent of 31,125 transfusions, excluding platelets and plasma, were given in the form of frozen or washed red cells. These transfusions were associated with 56 cases of hepatitis. In 37 cases, the recipients had received only frozen or washed red cells (or both). Post-transfusion hepatitis was of the non-A, non-B type in 95% of cases. On average, commercial blood accounted for 30 per cent of the donor base during the first four years and was involved in 44 of the 56 cases. Elimination of commercial blood from the donor base resulted in a decrease in the incidence of hepatitis from 2.1 to 0.3 per 1000 transfusions.

Blood Banks↗

Aminoglycoside serum assays restricted through a pharmacy program.

A pharmacy program designed to reduce the inappropriate use of aminoglycoside serum assays is described, and the results of an evaluation of the program are reported. If the clinical status of the patient for whom an assay is ordered does not correspond to the indications for the test, a pharmacist calculates predicted aminoglycoside serum levels based on renal function and discourages the physician from having the test performed. If the indications for a test are met, the pharmacist checks for potential interactions. He specifies the exact times serum samples are to be collected, and he prepares a pharmacokinetic report for the physician based on the test results. During the 18-month evaluation, 67 tests were ordered for 53 patients. Three tests were not performed based on pharmacist advice. Five tests could not be evaluated. Of the remaining 59 tests, 56 (95% were used appropriately; 54 of the appropriate decisions made (92%) were a result of the physician following the recommendations of the pharmacist. The program appears to prevent problems that occur when aminoglycoside serum assays are not restricted.

Aminoglycosides↗