ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine the utilization of predonated autologous blood in patients treated with anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion (ACCF). METHODS: Retrospective chart review of 154 patients who underwent 1, 2, or 3-level ACCF over a 6-year period was performed. Variables collected included patterns of autologous and allogenic blood use, blood loss, and hematocrit at admission and discharge from the hospital. RESULTS: For 1-level ACCF, only 16.7% of the predonated autologous blood was used. As expected, use of predonated autologous blood increased with the number of corpectomy levels: Patients with 2 and 3-level ACCF used 29.0% and 53.4% of the predonated blood, respectively. The use of autologous blood significantly reduced the need for allogenic blood transfusion for 2 and 3-level ACCF. CONCLUSIONS: Autologous blood was used efficiently in 3-level ACCF, and predonation is associated with decreased allogeneic blood transfusion requirement in 2 and 3-level ACCF.