PREDEPOSIT AUTOLOGOUS BLOOD-TRANSFUSION I N CHILDREN - RESULTS OF A NATIONWIDE SURVEY

Objective: To assess the development and the current practice of prede posit autologous blood transfusion (PABT) in children in France. Study design: Nationwide survey with a questionnaire. Method: Survey conduc ted in January 1995, including 121 blood transfusion centres (ETC) out of which 101 replied. Results: Initiated in 1979, PABT is practiced a t present in 66% of BTC. This figure increased by 12% from 1993 to 199 4. Orthopaedic surgery was the main indication. Other indications incl uded bone marrow harvesting for allogenic transplantation. Concerning the inclusion criteria, the lower limit of age was 9 +/- years and wei ght 26 +/- 10 kg. The youngest child was one-year-old and his body wei ght was 8 kg. Conclusion: The production of codified protocols would p robably favour the development of PABT in children and increase its sa fety and its efficiency.