SHED WHOLE-BLOOD AUTOTRANSFUSION DURING AORTIC-ANEURYSM OPERATION WITH A MODIFIED COLLECTION INFUSION SYSTEM

We describe a modified shed whole blood collection and autotransfusion system that allows several options for the processing and autotransfu sion of shed blood: use of the Cell Saver (Haemonetics, Braintree, MA) or the ultrafiltration of collected blood, and the autotransfusion of unprocessed shed whole blood. The system has proved useful for transf usion in the setting of thoracic aortic operations, and we describe he re our experience in 5 patients undergoing resection of a descending t horacic aortic aneurysm in whom this system was used.