How to obtain hemostasis after aortic surgery

Background. The establishment of hemostasis without transfusion of homologo us blood and blood products is critical to successful aortic surgery. Methods and Results. By using preoperative autologous blood donation and in traoperative blood conservation measures, 85% of patients can undergo aorti c surgical procedures without homologous blood or product transfusions, and almost three-quarters of patients will still not have required homologous transfusions by the the excessive preoperative autolo-time of discharge. In contrast, three-quarters of those patients who cannot donate blood preoper atively will require homologous blood transfusions. Conclusions. The strategy described is safe: our overall survival rate for 204 patients has been 98%, with a 1% incidence of stroke. (C) 1999 by The S ociety of Thoracic Surgeons.