Systematic pre-deposit autologous blood provision for elective surgery: an important contribution to hospital blood supply.

From the 8th of September 1987 to the 31st of July 1988 all patients scheduled for major elective orthopaedic surgery were systematically offered the facility of pre-deposit autologous blood storage. Of 251 patients, 204 (81%) were eligible to pre-donate, and of these only 9 declined to do so. 72% of the participants required only autologous blood at operation, 23% required some additional homologous blood. During the study period, autologous blood accounted for 10% of all blood transfused in the district, making a significant contribution to the local blood supply.