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The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 31, 421-425, Copyright © 1981 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

ARTICLES

An appraisal of blood salvage techniques in vascular and cardiac operations

AR Cordell and SW Lavender

This study compares blood salvage and reinfusion with the use of homologous blood in three groups of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft replacement or other cardiac operation. In Group 1 (100 patients), homologous blood was used and no effort was made to salvage blood. In Group 2 (68 patients), blood was salvaged before and after bypass and mediastinal blood was salvaged for 24 hours postoperatively. In Group 3 (46 patients), blood was salvaged before and after bypass and postoperatively. The average patient in Groups 2 and 3 required approximately one-third the amount of whole blood and approximately one- fourth the amount of packed red blood cells (RBC) required by a Group 1 patient. The hospital stays, blood chemistry levels, and costs per patient were comparable for the three groups. RBC survival studies in Group 3 patients showed a mild decrease from normal values. This study shows that currently available equipment and techniques allow safe and practical blood salvage during cardiac and vascular operations.