CHANGES IN PACKED CELL VOLUME AFTER GYNAECOLOGICAL SURGERIES: A COMPARISON OF DAY 1 AND DAY 2 VALUES.

Background: Postoperative anaemia is associated with increased postoperative morbidity. The optimal timing for postoperative packed cell volume (PCV) assessment remains unclear and varies across surgical units.

Objective: This study compared PCV values on postoperative days 1 and 2 to determine their relationship with the expected postoperative PCV.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among patients who had elective gynaecological surgeries at a tertiary Hospital in Southern Nigeria. PCV was measured preoperatively and at 24 and 48 hours postoperatively. Data on intraoperative blood loss, type of surgery, and anaesthesia were recorded.

Results: The mean PCV on postoperative day 1 was 30.87 ± 3.85%, while on day 2, it was 30.33 ± 3.70%, with a significant difference (p = 0.005). The expected postoperative PCV was 31.02 ± 2.68%. The difference between day 1 PCV and the expected PCV was not statistically significant (p = 0.682). Similarly, the day 2 PCV was not significantly different from the expected value (p = 0.064).

Conclusion: Although a significant decline in PCV occurred between postoperative days 1 and 2, the day 1 PCV was closer to the expected postoperative value. This suggests that day 1 may be a more reliable time for routine PCV monitoring after gynaecological surgeries.