Background: Although the practice of preoperative testing of ABO group and Rh (D) type for elective cholecystectomy has deep historical roots, it is not evidence-based. We aimed to assess thepreoperative blood group and save testing practice for a cohort of patients subjected to elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy for symptomatic cholecystolithiasisbetween January 2010 and October 2014. Methods:National Health Service (NHS)hospitalbased,surgical procedure-specific, retrospective study was conducted. Afinalgroup consisted of 2,079 adult patients. We estimated the incidence of perioperative blood transfusion attributable to laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The results of eight other studies are presented.Results: Apreoperative blood group and save test was performed in 907 patients (43.6%), whereas cross-matching was documented in 28 patients (3.1%). None required an intraoperative blood transfusion. Twelve patients (0.58%) underwent blood transfusion postoperatively following laparoscopic cholecystectomy, of which ten were transfused due tosevere intra-abdominal bleeding (0.48%). There were no deaths.Conclusions: The likelihood of blood transfusion attributable to elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy is 1:200. A routine preoperative blood group and save testing is unnecessary. It neither alters the management of severe hypovolemia, secondary toperioperative bleeding, nor does it lead to better outcomes
