Use of Thromboelastography in Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in a Patient With Factor â ¤ Deficiency With Platelet Function Disorders: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Reports on cases of factor Ⅴ (FⅤ) deficiency complicated by platelet function disorders in patients undergoing cardiac surgery are rare, and the utilization of thromboelastography in such cases is limited. This case presents a unique case of FⅤ deficiency complicated by platelet function disorders, highlighting the significance of tailored transfusion strategies guided by thromboelastography (TEG). A 64-year-old hemodialysis patient who was diagnosed with FⅤ deficiency 24 years prior presented for an on-pump coronary artery bypass graft. The decrease in FⅤ activity on preoperative examination was mild. Based on this finding, it was determined that preoperative fresh frozen plasma supplementation was not required. However, the case was complicated by platelet function disorders; therefore, a preoperative transfusion of platelet concentrate was performed to correct the decreased platelet function, enabling subsequent surgery. Intraoperative and postoperative transfusion strategies were guided by TEG. This study highlights TEG-guided transfusion management as a viable option for patients with FⅤ deficiency complicated by platelet function disorders.

Anxiety evaluated by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale as a predictor of postoperative nausea and vomiting: a pilot study.

The incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) remains high, and improving the accuracy of PONV prediction remains challenging. The primary aim of this study is to examine the impact of anxiety scores evaluated using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) on the PONV prediction model. We hypothesized that anxiety and depression, quantified using the HADS, could improve the accuracy of the PONV predictive model. This pilot study evaluated 100 patients. The HADS was conducted by a self-evaluation method before thoracoscopic surgery for lung tumors, and the anesthesia method was standardized. The criterion was whether the nurse in charge of the patient who complained of PONV assessed that drug administration was necessary. As the main analysis, the odds ratio of the HADS score for predicting PONV was evaluated using multivariable logistic regression models. Further, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of the model with the HADS score added to the variables of without-anxiety predictors and the model with the variables of without-anxiety predictors only were compared. The anxiety score was significantly higher in the PONV group than in the no PONV group (P = 0.021). For predictive accuracy, the model that included age, sex, smoking history, history of PONV, and anxiety score had a higher area under the ROC curve than did the model excluding the anxiety score (P = 0.021). In conclusion, the findings indicate that the HADS is worth investigating as a predictor of PONV.

Amplitude at 10 min in thromboelastography predicts maximum amplitude: a single-center observational study.

Thromboelastography is a quantitative test widely used to measure the efficiency of blood clotting. However, awaiting the results of maximum amplitude (MA) is necessary for determining the need for platelet- and fibrinogen-containing products. A more rapid prediction of MA could facilitate faster preparation and administration of blood transfusion products, thereby resulting in coagulation improvement. In this retrospective study, we hypothesized that early amplitude at 10 min (A10) could be a predictor of MA. Therefore, we investigated whether MA can be rapidly inferred from thromboelastographic 6 s (TEG6s) measurements and evaluated its correlation with A10. We extracted TEG6s measurements obtained in operating rooms and intensive care units of our hospital between January 2018 and December 2022. The correlation of MA with display items of TEG6s results, including reaction time, kinetics, α angle, activated clotting time, and A10, was evaluated. The relationship between citrated rapid TEG (CRT)-A10 and CRT-MA, as well as between citrated functional fibrinogen (CFF)-A10 and CFF-MA, were evaluated if A10 and MA showed a good correlation. The results showed good correlations between CRT-A10 and CRT-MA, as well as between CFF-A10 and CFF-MA. Therefore, evaluating A10 using TEG6s could predict MA.

Maternal outcomes following postpartum autotransfusion of blood lost during vaginal obstetric hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Autotransfusion following vaginal delivery has not been as widely adopted and existing data on this topic are limited to small case series. METHODS: This is a single-center retrospective matched cohort study. Deliveries exposed to autotransfusion during obstetric hemorrhage were matched to unexposed controls with obstetric hemorrhage who did not receive autotransfusion. The primary outcome was allogeneic transfusion of packed red blood cells. Planned secondary analyses included change in hemoglobin following delivery, composite maternal safety outcomes, and unplanned postpartum health care utilization. RESULTS: Thirty-six deliveries exposed to autotransfusion were matched to 144 unexposed controls. There was no significant difference in allogenic transfusion of packed red blood cells in the patients exposed to autotransfusion red with unexposed controls (adjusted OR 1.1; 95% CI 0.5-2.4). Deliveries that received autotransfusion had a less severe pre- to post-delivery decline in hemoglobin compared with unexposed controls across all values of QBL (p = .003). There were no significant differences in maternal morbidity outcomes evaluated in exposed versus unexposed deliveries. CONCLUSION: Autotransfusion in cases of vaginal obstetric hemorrhage did not attenuate rates of allogenic packed red blood cell transfusion but did result in a less severe pre- to postdelivery decline in hemoglobin at discharge. Autotransfusion cases did not have any markers of increased maternal morbidity when compared with a control group. These findings support emerging evidence indicating that autotransfusion of blood lost during vaginal obstetric hemorrhage is a safe and potentially effective tool for use in the management of obstetric hemorrhage.

Thromboelastographic evaluation after cardiac surgery optimizes transfusion requirements in the intensive care unit: a single-center retrospective cohort study using an inverse probability weighting method.

OBJECTIVE: There are no reports from Japan showing the effects of using the thromboelastography algorithm on transfusion requirements after Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission, and post-implementation knowledge regarding the thromboelastography algorithm under the Japanese healthcare system is insufficient. Therefore, this study aimed to clarify the effect of the TEG6s thromboelastography algorithm on transfusion requirements for patients in the ICU after cardiac surgery. METHODS: We retrospectively compared the requirements for blood transfusion up to 24 h after ICU admission using the thromboelastography algorithm (January 2021 to April 2022) (thromboelastography group; n = 201) and specialist consultation with surgeons and anesthesiologists (January 2018 to December 2020) (non-thromboelastography group; n = 494). RESULTS: There were no significant between-group differences in terms of age, height, weight, body mass index, operative procedure, duration of surgery or cardiopulmonary bypass, body temperature, or urine volume during surgical intervention. Moreover, there was no significant between-group difference in the amount of drainage at 24 h after ICU admission. However, crystalloid and urine volumes were significantly higher in the thromboelastography group than in the non-thromboelastography group. Additionally, fresh-frozen plasma (FFP) transfusion volumes were significantly lower in the thromboelastography group. However, there were no significant between-group differences in red blood cell count or platelet transfusion volume. After variable adjustment, the amount of FFP used from the operating room to 24 h after ICU admission was significantly reduced in the thromboelastography group. CONCLUSIONS: The thromboelastography algorithm optimized transfusion requirements at 24 h after admission to the ICU following cardiac surgery.

Intraoperative hypotension affects postoperative acute kidney injury depending on the invasiveness of abdominal surgery: A retrospective cohort study.

Intraoperative hypotension (IOH) or highly invasive surgery adversely affects postoperative clinical outcomes. It is, however, unclear whether IOH affects postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) depending on the invasiveness of abdominal surgery. We speculated that IOH in highly invasive abdominal surgery is a significant risk factor for postoperative AKI. We retrospectively reviewed the data of 448 patients who underwent abdominal surgery. Patients were divided into 3 groups: highly (such as pancreaticoduodenectomy and hepatectomy), moderately (open abdominal surgery), and minimally (laparoscopic surgery) invasive surgeries. The association between the time-weighted average (TWA) of mean arterial pressure (MAP) values (≤60 and ≤ 55 mm Hg) and AKI occurrences in each group was assessed. Postoperative AKI occurred after highly, moderately, and minimally invasive surgeries in 33 of 222 (14.9%), 14 of 110 (12.7%), and 12 of 116 (10.3%) cases, respectively (P = .526). The median [interquartile range] of TWA-MAP ≤ 60 mm Hg, as an IOH parameter, was 0.94 [0.33-2.08] mm Hg in highly, 0.54 [0.16-1.46] mm Hg in moderately, and 0.14 [0.03-0.57] mm Hg in minimally invasive surgeries (P < 0001). In addition, there was a significant association between TWA-MAP and AKI in highly invasive surgery, unlike in moderately and minimally invasive surgery, with adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for TWA-MAP ≤ 60 and ≤ 55 mm Hg associated with AKI of 1.23 [1.00-1.52] (P = .049) and 1.55 [1.02-2.36] (P = .041), respectively. Intraoperative MAP ≤ 60 mm Hg in highly invasive abdominal surgery is associated with postoperative AKI, compared to moderately and minimally invasive surgeries. Additionally, low MAP thresholds in highly invasive surgery increase postoperative AKI risk.

Administration of lipid emulsion reduced the hypnotic potency of propofol more than that of thiamylal in mice.

Administration in a lipid emulsion can modify the pharmacodynamics of drugs via a process known as lipid resuscitation. However, the detailed mechanism remains unclear. We studied the volume and another pharmacodynamic effect, the lipid sink, using propofol and thiamylal. Male adult mice (ddY) were intravenously administered 10 ml/kg propofol or thiamylal diluted with physiological saline, 10% soybean oil, or 20% soybean oil. The 50% effective dose (ED50) for achieving hypnosis was calculated using probit analysis. To investigate the volume effect, 0, 10, or 20 ml/kg of saline or soybean oil was administered, either simultaneously or beforehand. Next, a two- or three-fold dose of the anesthetics was administered and the durations of anesthesia were measured. Finally, at 30 s after the first injection, supplemental soybean oil was administered. The mean (± SE) ED50 values of propofol and thiamylal were 5.79 mg/kg (0.61) and 8.83 mg/kg (0.84), respectively. Lipid dilution increased the ED50 values of both anesthetics. After injection of a dose two-fold the ED50 value, the respective mean (± SD) durations of anesthesia were 125 ± 35 s and 102 ± 38 s. Supplemental administration of soybean oil significantly shortened the duration of anesthesia of propofol, but not that of thiamylal. The results indicate that administration of a lipid emulsion vitiated the anesthetic effect of propofol by reducing the non-emulsified free fraction in the aqueous phase, which may elucidate the lipid resuscitation likely caused by the lipid sink mechanism.

Fibcare® shows correlation with fibrinogen levels by the Clauss method during cardiopulmonary bypass.

Central laboratory measurements are time consuming, while rapid fibrinogen level measurements within the operating room improve transfusion strategies. We aimed to clarify the correlation between fibrinogen concentrations (measured using Fibcare® and the Clauss fibrinogen assay in a central laboratory) during cardiovascular surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Data of patients whose Fibcare, traditional laboratory-based testing, and thromboelastographic results were measured using the same blood sample during cardiopulmonary bypass from February 2021 to January 2022 were retrospectively examined. We analyzed correlation in categories of body temperature during cardiopulmonary bypass: total cases, mild hypothermia (28-34°C), and moderate or severe hypothermia (<28°C). The Clauss fibrinogen assay was performed in 123 cases, Fibcare in 107, and thromboelastography in 91. For mild hypothermia, moderate or severe hypothermia, and overall, the root mean squared error and R-square in Fibcare were 16.1 and 0.86, 13.1 and 0.87, and 14.9 and 0.87, respectively, and for thromboelastography, they were 3.26 and 0.74, 2.70 and 0.79, and 3.08 and 0.75, respectively. A significant relationship was noted between Fibcare and Claus fibrinogen analysis regardless of body temperature during cardiopulmonary bypass. The measurement of fibrinogen levels using Fibcare allows for faster transfusion preparation than that of the traditional Clauss fibrinogen assay.

Life-threatening chlorhexidine anaphylaxis caused by skin preparation before chlorhexidine-free central venous catheter insertion: a case report and literature review.

Chlorhexidine is a common cause of perioperative anaphylaxis, and global regulatory authorities have issued warnings about anaphylaxis due to chlorhexidine-containing central venous catheters (CVC) and its mucosal absorption. We present a case of life-threatening anaphylaxis after CVC insertion caused by chlorhexidine used for skin preparation. The onset of anaphylaxis was rapid and very severe, resulting in pulseless electrical activity. The patient was successfully resuscitated by emergency veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO). Our case suggests that even skin preparation before chlorhexidine-free CVC insertion can cause life-threatening anaphylaxis. We reviewed the literature on chlorhexidine anaphylaxis cases and categorized all potential routes of chlorhexidine exposure to assess the risk following skin preparation. Our results showed that skin preparation before CVC insertion was the third most common cause of chlorhexidine anaphylaxis after transurethral exposure and chlorhexidine-containing CVCs. However, skin preparation with chlorhexidine before CVC insertion was sometimes overlooked as a cause of chlorhexidine anaphylaxis, and its risk might be underestimated. Further, no previous reports have described life-threatening anaphylaxis solely due to chlorhexidine skin preparation before CVC insertion. CVC insertion might cause the chlorhexidine used for skin preparation to reach the vascular system and should be recognized as a potential cause of life-threatening chlorhexidine anaphylaxis.

Effect of intensive insulin therapy on inflammatory response after cardiac surgery using bedside artificial pancreas: A propensity score-matched analysis.

BACKGROUND: Perioperative hyperglycemia leads to poor postoperative clinical outcomes, including compromised immune function, cardiovascular events, and mortality. The optimal perioperative blood glucose levels during cardiac surgery remain unclear. A closed-loop glycemic control system (artificial pancreas, target blood glucose range:120-150 mg/dl) prevents postoperative inflammatory response more effectively than conventional insulin therapy (<200 mg/dl). However, the clinical effects of intensive insulin therapy with strict glycemic control (80-110 mg/dl) are controversial. This study aimed to determine whether intensive insulin therapy would further suppress postoperative inflammatory reactions. METHODS: This study analyzed 262 patients who underwent cardiovascular surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. The patients were divided into two groups according to their target blood glucose range: 80-110 mg/dl and 120-150 mg/dl. The primary outcome was the difference in the C-reactive protein levels between the two groups. RESULTS: Propensity score matching resulted in 95 patients in each group based on their covariates. There was no difference in the postoperative maximum C-reactive protein levels between the two groups (14.81 ± 5.93 mg/dl vs. 14.34 ± 5.52 mg/dl; p = 0.571) following propensity score matching. Hypoglycemia did not occur during intensive insulin therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Intensive insulin therapy following cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass did not demonstrate significant advantages in the suppression of postoperative inflammatory reactions compared to that with mild glycemic control. However, intensive insulin therapy using an artificial pancreas was found to be safe, with no hypoglycemic events.

Hemodiafiltration combined with polymyxin B-immobilized fiber column direct hemoperfusion is effective for acute postoperative exacerbation of interstitial pneumonia: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative acute exacerbation of interstitial pneumonia has a high mortality rate; however, its treatment methods have not been standardized. CASE PRESENTATION: A 72-year-old man with rheumatoid arthritis developed acute respiratory failure about 3 weeks after lung cancer surgery. There were increased diffuse frosted shadows in both lung fields. His condition was diagnosed as an acute exacerbation of interstitial pneumonia associated with rheumatoid arthritis, and he was started on steroid pulse therapy; however, his respiratory condition deteriorated. He was urgently intubated and started on veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Further, intensive care, including blood purification therapy, was initiated. The blood purification therapy comprised a combination of hemodiafiltration and 6-h polymyxin B-immobilized fiber column direct hemoperfusion. The patient was weaned off veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, extubated, and discharged from the intensive care unit on the ninth day. CONCLUSIONS: Blood purification therapy was effective for acute exacerbation of interstitial pneumonia.

Incidence rate of chronic pain after 1.5-2 years of thoracotomy between paravertebral block versus epidural block: a cohort study.

Paravertebral block and epidural block are frequently employed for post-thoracotomy pain relief. It is not clear which postoperative analgesia method is effective for the chronic pain after the postoperative long term progress. Our hypothesis was that paravertebral block would be more effective than epidural block for chronic pain 1.5-2 years after thoracotomy. A cohort study investigating postoperative pain was performed in lung cancer patients undergoing thoracotomy between the ages of 20-80 year-old, employed for another randomized controlled trial. In previously study, the patients were randomly allocated into either the epidural block or paravertebral block group (n = 36/group). Patients in each group received the respective block placement with continuous 0.2% ropivacaine infusion at 5 ml/h. The patients completed a telephone observational survey using the EQ-5D-5L at 1.5-2 years. Forty-eight patients, 23 in the epidural block group and 25 in the paravertebral block group, were included in the final analysis. Quality of life scores at 1.5-2 postoperative years was similar in both groups. Mean scores ± standard deviation and 95% confidence interval were 0.899 ± 0.081 (0.705-0.938) in the epidural block group and 0.905 ± 0.079 (0.713-0.938) in the paravertebral block group, respectively, p = 0.81. The incidence rate of chronic postsurgical pain was eight patients; four in the epidural block group (17.4%) and four in the paravertebral block group (16.0%). There was no difference in incidence rate of long-term chronic postsurgical pain at 1.5-2 years after thoracotomy between the both groups. Our result will be used for further study protocols.

Synthesis of the matriglycan hexasaccharide, -3Xylα1-3GlcAß1-trimer and its interaction with laminin.

Matriglycan, a polysaccharide that is a pivotal part of the core M3 O-mannosyl glycan composed of the repeating disaccharide -3Xylα1-3GlcAß1-, interacts with laminin to stabilize muscle tissue. We herein report the synthesis of matriglycan-repeating hexasaccharides equipped with an alkyne linker to form glycoconjugates. The key step in the formation of an α-linked xylosyl glycoside was resolved by solvent-specific separation from an anomeric mixture. Successful glycan elongation was regio- and stereoselectively performed to obtain (-3Xylα1-3GlcAß1)3-O(C2H4O)3CH2CCH and the biotin conjugate. We also investigated interactions between matriglycan hexasaccharides and laminin-G-like domains 4 and 5 of laminin-α2 using saturation transfer difference-NMR. The dissociation constant obtained from bio-layer interferometry was estimated to be 7.5 × 10-8 M. These results indicate that a chemical approach may be applied to the reconstruction of muscle tissue.

Chemical and Chemo-Enzymatic Syntheses of Glycans Containing Ribitol Phosphate Scaffolding of Matriglycan.

Ribitol phosphate modifications to the core M3 O-mannosyl glycan are important for the functional maturation of α-dystroglycan. Three sequentially extended partial structures of the core M3 O-mannosyl glycan including a tandem ribitol phosphate were regio- and stereo-selectively synthesized: Rbo5P-3GalNAcß, Rbo5P-1Rbo5P-3GalNAcß, and Xylß1-4Rbo5P-1Rbo5P-3GalNAcß (Rbo5P, d-ribitol-5-phosphate; GalNAc, N-acetyl-d-galactosamine; Xyl, d-xylose). Rbo5P-3GalNAcß with p-nitrophenyl at the aglycon part served as a substrate for ribitol phosphate transferase (FKRP, fukutin-related protein), and its product was glycosylated by the actions of a series of glycosyltransferases, namely, ribitol xylosyltransferase 1 (RXYLT1), ß1,4-glucuronyltransferase 1 (B4GAT1), and like-acetyl-glucosaminyltransferase (LARGE). Rbo5P-3GalNAcß equipped with an alkyne-type aglycon was also active for FKRP. The molecular information obtained on FKRP suggests that Rbo5P-3GalNAcß derivatives are the minimal units required as the acceptor glycan for Rbo5P transfer and may serve as a precursor for the elongation of the core M3 O-mannosyl glycan.

The equilibrated blood sevoflurane concentrations show a rapid decrease after switching from ventilation for the human lung to cardiopulmonary bypass.

Volatile anesthetics (VAs) protect myocardial cells during cardiovascular surgeries, including cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). In CPB, blood is gradually transferred from the body to a CPB unit until the target cardiac index is achieved, following which human lung (HL) ventilation is stopped. This pilot study aimed to evaluate changes in the blood sevoflurane concentrations 5 min after the start of CPB when its delivery to the oxygenator began after HL ventilation with sevoflurane was completed. Six patients were recruited and participated in this study. For each patient, the equilibrated blood sample, collected 20 min after starting the delivery of 1.7% sevoflurane (HL group), and another blood sample, collected 5 min after starting the CPB, were analyzed using gas chromatography equipped with a flame ionization detector. The mean (± standard deviation) sevoflurane concentrations in the HL and 5 min after starting CPB groups were 58.6 ± 4.7 and 14.5 ± 5.0 µg/ml, respectively (P < 0.01). In conclusion, the equilibrated blood sevoflurane concentrations showed a rapid decrease when switching from sevoflurane ventilation for the HL to CPB unless it was introduced to the oxygenator until completion of the switch.

Incidence of intraoperative anaphylaxis caused by blood products: a 12-year single-center, retrospective study.

PURPOSE: Intraoperative anaphylaxis caused by blood products is uncommon, but it is unclear whether the rarity of this reaction is attributable to the difficulty of diagnosis, underreporting, or both. We investigated the incidence of intraoperative transfusion anaphylaxis and its reporting to the hemovigilance system. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed cases wherein general anesthesia was used at a single hospital during a 12-year period. Cases of intraoperative anaphylaxis were extracted using an electronic search strategy and determined using the recently developed grading and clinical scoring system. The causative blood products were determined by the onset duration based on literature regarding intraoperative transfusion anaphylaxis cases. RESULTS: Among the 62,146 general anesthesia cases, 22 cases of intraoperative anaphylaxis were identified, and 11 of the 22 cases received transfusions before the onset of anaphylaxis. Intraoperative transfusion anaphylaxis was defined as occurring within 30 min of transfusion. Finally, nine cases of intraoperative transfusion anaphylaxis were analyzed. The overall incidence of intraoperative transfusion anaphylaxis was 1/3,994, with the highest incidence noted for fresh frozen plasma (1/2146; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1/6610-1/920), platelet concentrate (1/2348; 95% CI 1/92,742-1/422), and red blood cells (1/22,867; 95% CI 1/903,199-1/4,105). No evidence indicated that these cases were reported to the Japanese hemovigilance system, although all intraoperative transfusion anaphylaxis cases were diagnosed by anesthesiologists. CONCLUSION: The incidence of intraoperative anaphylaxis caused by blood products was higher than that reported and may be underreported to the Japanese hemovigilance system. Further research, particularly multicenter studies, is needed to confirm our results.

Safe sedation management using volatile anesthetics during cardiopulmonary bypass.

Several pieces of evidence suggest that volatile anesthetics (VAs), which were originally used as sedatives, have myocardial protective effects against cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury. In Europe and the United States, the use of VAs during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is widespread, as 2019 European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS)/European Association of Cardiothoracic Anaesthesiology/European Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion, 2011 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association, and 2017 EACTS guidelines recommend their use in cardiovascular surgery, based on their potential myocardial protective effects. In other countries, including Japan, the use of VAs is gradually increasing. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the risks and possible adverse events associated with VA use during CPB to ensure safe sedation management. Herein, we describe in detail issues such as intraoperative awareness, air pollution, and damage to oxygenators due to VA use and propose precautions.

Autotransfusion of vaginally shed blood as a novel therapy in obstetric hemorrhage: A case series.

OBJECTIVE: To report maternal outcomes in a cohort of women who received autotransfusion of vaginally shed blood and to describe the feasibility of blood collection and cell salvage processing at the time of vaginal hemorrhage. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective case series of patients who received autotransfusion of vaginally shed blood at the time of obstetric hemorrhage from January 2014 to August 2020. Maternal data and cell salvage utilization characteristics were abstracted from the electronic medical record. RESULTS: Sixty-four cases were identified in which autotransfusion of vaginally shed blood occurred during an obstetric hemorrhage. Median quantitative blood loss was 2175 ml (interquartile range 1500-2250 ml) with 89% of cases having a blood loss greater than 1000 ml. Patients on average received approximately 1.3 units of autologous blood product (384 ml, interquartile range 244-520 ml) and no direct adverse events were observed during transfusion. We observed heterogeneity in autologous blood volume across all values of quantitative blood loss. The need for allogenic blood transfusion was common and occurred in 72% of all cases (N = 46). There were no documented cases of maternal sepsis or severe infectious morbidity. CONCLUSION: In 64 cases where autotransfusion of vaginally shed blood occurred, autotransfusion was well tolerated. Heterogeneity in autologous blood volume collection likely represents the lack of standardized protocols for blood collection in the delivery room. Autotransfusion of vaginally shed blood is a feasible and reasonable technique to employ during severe obstetric hemorrhage.