BACKGROUND: The use of autotransfusions for planned surgery is becoming quite common. The objective of the present work was to find out whether autotransfusions are safe for cardiosurgery and what is their value. METHODS AND RESULTS: On average 2.3 transfusion units (T.U.) of blood were taken from 62 patients (52 men and 10 women, age 53.7 +/- 10 years) with a planned revascularization of the heart muscle (54x) or valvular operations (8x). During 129 blood collections a drop of systolic pressure occurred (141 +/- before and 134 +/- 21 mm Hg after blood sampling, p < 0.02). The diastolic BP and pulse rate did not change. In nine instances (7%) the authors recorded minor side-effects. After an initial drop of haemoglobin (p < 0.001) during subsequent sampling no further drop was recorded (139.4 +/- 11.8, 130.6 +/- 9.8, 129 +/- 10.5, 130.3 +/- 11.8 g/l). The iron levels, binding capacity and ferritin were within a normal range. During operation 26% of the patients, i.e. 16 (15 men and one woman) did not need a transfusion of homologous blood. The patients were younger (44.7 +/- 8.6 years) and the extracorporeal circulation was shorter (65 +/- 29 min.) than patients with transfusions of homologous blood (37 men, 9 women, 56.8 +/- 8.6 years, 91 +/- 24 min., p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: When contraindications are respected autotransfusions before cardiosurgery are safe. In some patients they can replace homologous blood.
BACKGROUND: The use of autotransfusions for planned surgery is becoming quite common. The objective of the present work was to find out whether autotransfusions are safe for cardiosurgery and what is their value. METHODS AND RESULTS: On average 2.3 transfusion units (T.U.) of blood were taken from 62 patients (52 men and 10 women, age 53.7 +/- 10 years) with a planned revascularization of the heart muscle (54x) or valvular operations (8x). During 129 blood collections a drop of systolic pressure occurred (141 +/- before and 134 +/- 21 mm Hg after blood sampling, p < 0.02). The diastolic BP and pulse rate did not change. In nine instances (7%) the authors recorded minor side-effects. After an initial drop of haemoglobin (p < 0.001) during subsequent sampling no further drop was recorded (139.4 +/- 11.8, 130.6 +/- 9.8, 129 +/- 10.5, 130.3 +/- 11.8 g/l). The iron levels, binding capacity and ferritin were within a normal range. During operation 26% of the patients, i.e. 16 (15 men and one woman) did not need a transfusion of homologous blood. The patients were younger (44.7 +/- 8.6 years) and the extracorporeal circulation was shorter (65 +/- 29 min.) than patients with transfusions of homologous blood (37 men, 9 women, 56.8 +/- 8.6 years, 91 +/- 24 min., p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: When contraindications are respected autotransfusions before cardiosurgery are safe. In some patients they can replace homologous blood.
Authors: Isabelle Q Phan; Sandhya Subramanian; David Kim; Michael Murphy; Deleah Pettie; Lauren Carter; Ivan Anishchenko; Lynn K Barrett; Justin Craig; Logan Tillery; Roger Shek; Whitney E Harrington; David M Koelle; Anna Wald; David Veesler; Neil King; Jim Boonyaratanakornkit; Nina Isoherranen; Alexander L Greninger; Keith R Jerome; Helen Chu; Bart Staker; Lance Stewart; Peter J Myler; Wesley C Van Voorhis Journal: Sci Rep Date: 2021-02-22 Impact factor: 4.379