For patients undergoing major liver resection, ANH is safe, effectively reduces the need for allogeneic transfusions, and should be considered for routine use. Given the modest transfusion rate in the STD arm, future efforts should attempt to target ANH use to patients most likely to benefit.

In this randomized trial of patients undergoing PD, ANH did not reduce allogeneic transfusions and resulted in more pancreatic anastomotic complications, likely related to greater intraoperative fluid administration. The benefits of ANH do not necessarily extend to all procedures, and restrictive intravenous fluid management during PD may help improve postoperative outcome.

In this selected cohort of patients from a previous RCT, perioperative morbidity was strongly (and independently) associated with cancer-specific outcome. It also was associated with delayed initiation of postoperative chemotherapy, the impact of which on survival is unclear.

Background The optimal perioperative fluid resuscitation strategy for liver resections (LR) remains undefined. Goal-directed therapy (GDT) embodies a number of physiologic strategies to achieve an ideal fluid balance and avoid the consequences of over- or under-resuscitation. Study Design In a prospective randomized trial, patients undergoing LR were randomized to GDT using stroke volume variation (SVV) as an endpoint or standard perioperative resuscitation (STD). Primary outcome measure was 30-day morbidity. Results Between 2012 and 2014, 135 patients were randomized (GDT: 69 – STD: 66). Median age was 57yrs, and 56% were male. Metastatic disease comprised 81% of patients. Overall (35% GDT vs 36% STD, p=0.86) and Grade 3 morbidity (28% GDT vs 18% STD, p=0.22) were equivalent. Patients in the GDT arm received less intraoperative fluid (mean 2.0 L GDT vs 2.9 L STD, p<0.001). Perioperative transfusions were required in 4% (6% GDT vs 2% STD, p=0.37) and boluses in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) were administered to 24% (29% GDT vs 20% STD, p=0.23). Mortality rate was 1% (2/135 patients; both in GDT). On multivariable analysis, male gender, age, combined procedures, higher intraoperative fluid volume, and fluid boluses in PACU were associated with higher 30-day morbidity. Conclusions SVV-guided GDT is safe in patients undergoing LR and led to less intraoperative fluid. While the incidence of postoperative complications was similar in both arms, lower intraoperative resuscitation volume was independently associated with decreased postoperative morbidity in the entire cohort. Future studies should target extensive resections and identify patients receiving large resuscitation volumes, as this population is more likely to benefit from this technique.

Under the conditions of this study, we were unable to find a clinical benefit to using aprotinin or EACA to reduce perioperative blood loss or transfusion requirements during major orthopedic surgery in cancer patients.