Audit of autotransfusion in spine surgery

A prospective evaluation has been undertaken of 382 patients undergoing rec onstructive spine surgery during a thirty-six month period. Acute normovola emic haemodilution and haemapheresis for blood component sequestration was used in 80 patients in the operating theatre. An average of two units each of freshly collected autologous red cells and fresh plasma together with a therapeutic dose of a plateletpheresis product were prepared for each patie nt prior to surgical incision. The same supplies and equipment were subsequ ently used for conventional blood salvage and autotransfusion. The other 30 2 patients received salvaged blood only. Of the total blood transfused, aut ologous red cells comprised 87% of sequestration and 49% of autotransfusion -only patients. Each group received the same total perioperative red blood cell support. The cost for one red cell equivalent by intraoperative autolo gous transfusion was competitive with that of providing one unit of cross-m atched allogeneic red cells. As compared with salvage alone, sequestration combined with salvage was even more cost effective and decreased reliance o n allogenic products and preoperative autologous blood donations. The rate of transfusing autologous blood products was markedly increased.