Are routine pre-operative blood tests required in children undergoing primary cleft lip and/or palate repair?

Primary surgical repair of cleft lip and/or palate is performed before 9 months of age, often representing the first surgical intervention these children encounter. Obtaining pre-operative blood tests in young children often produces much anxiety for all involved. We reviewed the electronic data of 282 children over a five-year period undergoing primary cleft repairs to determine the value of pre-operative full blood count, and transfusion requirements. Of these, three children required post-operative blood transfusion. In two cases concurrent illness contributed to transfusion requirement. To determine if our findings were consistent with those at other Cleft Centres, the views of primary cleft surgeons in the UK and Ireland were obtained using a questionnaire. A 96% response rate was achieved. The majority of cleft surgeons stated they no longer request routine pre-operative blood tests. Few could recall any of their patients requiring transfusion, and in those that did there was an underlying medical condition contributing to transfusion requirement, and an equal number whom could not have been predicted pre-operatively. The benefit of obtaining routine full blood count and group and save in children undergoing cleft repair is small in comparison to the stress caused from obtaining these bloods, and has significant cost implications to the Health Service.