Original Article

Intra-Operative Blood Conservation During Cardiac Surgery

Perfusion Technology Service Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, Massachusetts

^* For Reprints: Roger A. Vertrees, C.C.P., Baystate Medical Center, 759 Chestnut Street, Springfield, Massachusetts 01107.

Abstract

The Haemonetics Cell Saver, a device developed for the recovery of autologous blood, was evaluated at our institution. The major areas of concern in evaluating this device were: quantity of blood salvaged, reduction in blood bank usage and a possible monetary savings to the patient.

This study consists of 33 consecutive adult patients undergoing cardiac procedures requiring systemic heparinization and cardiopulmonary bypass. Of these 33 adult patients, a group of 13 patients using autotransfusion was compared to a control group of 20 cardiac patients without autotransfusion.

In the group of 13 autotransfused patients, a mean of 6.6 units of bank blood was used throughout their entire hospital stay, as compared to 9.7 units of bank blood in the nontransfuscd group. This is a significant reduction in blood usage and, since the cost of the Haemonetics software is recovered with two units of blood, a reduced cost to the patient was realized.