Former Justice Minister Liao Cheng-hao's brush with death in March was due to a rare complication from blood transfusions during heart bypass surgery, an official of the Department of Health (DOH) said Monday. Shih Chung-liang, director of the DOH's Bureau of Medical Affairs, was referring to Liao's transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI), often triggered by the donor's antibody fighting the recipient's antigen or vice versa. Liao only escaped death after fighting for his life in an intensive care ward for 25 days. Shih said the condition is more likely to strike women who have received blood transfusions many times. 'The chances of patients suffering from TRALI due to blood transfusions is minimal, ' he said, but acknowledged that such complications still cannot be avoided. At present, he said, blood transfusions only screen blood types. More detailed screening is not conducted unless patients are frequent blood transfusion recipients. Reports said that Liao, who was known for cracking down on organized crime during his tenure as justice minister from 1996-1998, received cardiovascular bypass surgery on March 8. The surgery was successful, but the blood transfusion 'almost killed me, ' reports quoted Liao as saying. Liao has since become an advocate of blood transfusion safety, urging that the blood should be more closely screened or controlled. 