title: Clinical application of closed-loop postoperative autotransfusion.
abstract: A computerized system for postoperative autotransfusion with on-line feedback of left atrial pressure and other relevant variables is in routine use in the cardiac surgical intensive care unit at University Hospital, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA. The autotransfusion subsystem was integrated into an existing intensive care computer system that monitors and stores physiological data. The autotransfusion system decreases the need for bank blood and lessens the chance for patient exposure to complications possible with homologous blood transfusion. The fully automated system promotes greater hemodynamic stability than other techniques of postoperative autotransfusion. Closed-loop autotransfusion is less labor-intensive than manual methods and has proved to be cost-effective.
authors: University Hospital, University of Alabama, Birmingham.
authors: H B
authors: HB
authors: Blankenship
authors: F D
authors: FD
authors: Wallace
authors: A D
authors: AD
authors: Pacifico
mesh_terms: D001804:Blood Transfusion, Autologous / Q000191:economics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D003199:Computer Systems; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D008905:Minicomputers; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000295:instrumentation; D009862:Online Systems; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods*