Intraoperative blood loss after tangential excision of burn wounds treated by subeschar infiltration of epinephrine

To assess the operative blood loss after tangential excision of burn wounds treated by subeschar infiltration of epinephrine solution, the medical records of 85 consecutive patients were analysed retrospectively. All patients were given epinephrine. The median (range) blood loss was 0.9 (0.3 - 4%) of the blood volume of each patient of the body surface excised and grafted (blood loss from donor sites included). Multiple regression analysis showed strong correlation between the blood loss and the extend of the excision (p < 0.001). The correlation between age and blood loss was significant (p < 0.05). Neither the weight of the patients nor the amount of epinephrine injected significantly influenced the amount of blood lost. Operative blood loss was accurately predicted by multiple regression analysis in 62% of cases.