Acute Normovolemic Hemodilution Versus Standard Intraoperative Management in Patients Having Hepatic Resection and Pancreaticoduodenectomy

With a major liver or pancreas operation, there is a chance that one will require a transfusion of blood products (either red blood cells or plasma). This may be necessary during the operation or a few days after surgery. The surgeons at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center perform a very large number of liver or pancreas resections every year and have pioneered techniques that minimize bleeding during the operation. Even so, liver or pancreas operations such as the one that will be undergone carry a 50% chance of requiring a transfusion. A technique that might lower the need for transfusions is called acute normovolemic hemodilution (ANH). ANH was first introduced over twenty years ago and has been used in many types of operations, including liver or pancreas resection. The studies done on ANH at other hospitals suggest that it may help conserve blood. Researchers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center are conducting a study to determine if ANH is better than the 'standard technique' that is currently used in all patients. The purpose of this study is to find out which of the two techniques is better. The purpose of the study is to see if ANH lowers the need for the transfusion of blood products during and after liver or pancreas resection. The second purpose of the study is to see how ANH changes the length of the operation, the length of time one spends in the hospital, and the complication rate after surgery. The researchers will also see if ANH requires any changes in the administration of anesthesia.