Early experience of intraoperative autotransfusion.

ABSTRACT

Intraoperative autotransfusion of whole blood was performed using the Solcotrans device in 45 patients undergoing major vascular surgery or other procedures in which there was a clean operative field. Overall, 60% of the blood shed during these operations was reinfused. Approximately 50% of patients avoided the potential complications of homologous transfusion. There were no complications attributable to the use of this device although in a sample of 13 patients, 30% of the erythrocytes were haemolysed and there were other minor haematological abnormalities. In conclusion this device provides a simple method of autotransfusing 2 or 3 litres of blood aspirated from an uncontaminated operative field.