AUTOLOGOUS BLOOD DONATION BY PATIENTS WHO HAVE UNDERGONE SOLID-ORGAN TRANSPLANTATION

Autologous blood donation before elective surgery is generally believe d to be a safe procedure for patients with a variety of underlying med ical conditions, but the accumulation of additional data continues to define its safety in unique patient groups. Patients who have received a solid organ transplant may also undergo various elective surgical p rocedures after transplantation, and the question of safety of autolog ous blood donation for these patients is raised. In one hospital-based blood collection program, we identified 4 patients who had received s olid organ transplants and subsequently, made autologous blood donatio ns for elective operations unrelated to the transplantation. Two patie nts had received heart transplants and 2 received liver transplants. A total of 10 autologous donations were made by these 4 patients withou t adverse effects or complications. A low hemoglobin concentration was the only reason for temporary deferral from autologous donation. Desp ite having complicated clinical situations, recipients of solid organ transplants can safely donate autologous blood and should not be autom atically excluded from making such donations.