['To determine whether transfused colorectal surgery patients were at increased risk for postoperative infections in a tertiary care teaching hospital and whether transfusion alone was the only significant risk factor.', 'A retrospective study.', 'A single tertiary care teaching hospital.', 'All patients admitted to St. Boniface General Hospital, Winnipeg, for colorectal surgery during the period Apr. 1, 1995, through Mar. 31, 1996, were studied (N = 154).', 'The overall infection rate was 17%: nontransfused patients, 13%, and transfused patients, 28% (p < 0.038). Patients who received albumin perioperatively had a significantly higher infection rate (38%) than those who did not (13%) (p < 0.001). Stepwise logistic regression analysis identified transfusion and albumin administration as the only independent risk factors for postoperative infection.'] Are perioperative blood transfusion and albumin administration independent risk factors for the development of postoperative infections after colorectal surgery?