title: An evaluation of clinical aspects of post-operative autotransfusion, either alone or in conjunction with pre-operative aspirin, in cardiac surgery.
abstract: Two groups of 21 otherwise healthy patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for the first time were studied in order to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of post-operative autotransfusion using a red cell 'salvage' method. Group 1 patients (control group) were transfused using donor blood only. Group 2 patients were transfused with their own (autologous) blood, salvaged post-operatively, although donor blood was also available to them if needed. The two groups were further subdivided according to whether the patients received aspirin pre-operatively or not. The four subgroups thus formed were comparable pre- as well as intra-operatively, with respect to all available clinical and laboratory criteria. The post-operative data, however, showed that the combination of pre-operative aspirin and autotransfusion leads to excessive post-operative bleeding, together with increased donor blood requirement. It was also shown that autotransfusion without aspirin does reduce the need for donor blood transfusion without any increase in post-operative bleeding. Although aspirin alone did not increase post-operative bleeding or donor blood requirement, its combination with autotransfusion should be avoided.
authors.affiliation: United Medical School, Guy's Hospital, London.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shirvani
mesh_terms: D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001804:Blood Transfusion, Autologous; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D006488:Hemostasis, Surgical; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011300:Preoperative Care
chemical_list: D001241:Aspirin