Limited effectiveness of intraoperative autotransfusion in major back surgery.
OBJECTIVE
The efficiency of intraoperative autotransfusion in scoliosis surgery is poorly known but needs to be evaluated, not least because of the large blood losses in these patients. This is a retrospective analysis of transfusion requirements of 43 such patients.


METHODS
Records from 43 patients were studied. During surgery, the shed blood was salvaged and washed in an autotransfusion device (AT1000 Autotransfusion Unit) and a suspension of red cells was reinfused.


RESULTS
Fifty-eight per cent of the intraoperative blood loss was salvaged. The total blood loss during the patients' hospital stay was calculated from the haemoglobin balance; 24% of this loss was salvaged by the device. Moreover, 36 of the patients needed allogeneic blood transfusion.


CONCLUSIONS
The efficiency of the autotransfusion device was relatively low in relation to the total extravasation, mainly because the postoperative blood loss is substantial.
Abildgaard
L
L
Department of Anaesthesia, University Hospital, S-581 85 Linköping, Sweden.
Aaro
S
S
Lisander
B
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D001804:Blood Transfusion, Autologous; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013131:Spine / Q000601:surgery*
D006454:Hemoglobins