Use of autologous blood in total hip replacement. A comprehensive program

We evaluated the effectiveness of a comprehensive program for the use of autologous blood in reduction of the need for transfusion of homologous blood in total hip replacement in a prospective study of a consecutive series of patients. Transfusion of homologous blood was minimized through transfusion of preoperatively deposited autologous blood, intraoperative and postoperative salvage of washed red blood cells, and use of the clinical condition of the patient as the sole criterion for transfusion of non-autologous blood, regardless of the hematocrit. The cases of 143 patients who had had 154 primary total hip replacements were studied. One hundred and forty-three procedures were done on patients who had not been prevented from donating blood for medical reasons, and 93 per cent of these 143 procedures were performed with the availability of one to five units of preoperatively deposited autologous blood. The patients predeposited an average of 2.6 units of blood for each procedure. Ninety-two per cent of the procedures for which autologous blood had been predeposited were performed without transfusion of homologous blood. In the entire group of patients, almost 90 per cent of the transfused blood was autologous blood. Intraoperative salvage of red blood cells was successful in 148 procedures, and salvage was continued in the recovery room for all of these patients. An average of 408 milliliters of red blood cells was saved and reinfused, and this was 28 per cent of the average total loss of blood (1435 milliliters) for this series of procedures.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Intraoperative autologous transfusion in revision total hip arthroplasty

The records of ninety-eight patients (100 hips) who had revision total hip arthroplasty were reviewed to evaluate the efficacy of intraoperative autologous transfusion in reducing homologous blood-transfusion requirements. In the fifty hips in the study group, a mean of 685 milliliters of autologous blood, or 47 per cent of the estimated loss of blood, was transfused intraoperatively. During the entire course of hospitalization, the mean of the total homologous blood-transfusion requirements was 795 milliliters in thirty-nine study-group patients, compared with 1160 milliliters in forty-six control-group patients who did not have autologous transfusion. This difference was statistically significant (p less than 0.029). Eleven patients in the study group and four patients in the control group did not receive homologous blood. Over-all, the use of intraoperative autologous transfusion was directly responsible for a 42 per cent reduction in the total amount of homologous blood that was transfused.     

急性高容性血液稀释联合自体血回收回输技术在全髋关节置换手术中的应用及对患者的影响

目的评价急性高容性血液稀释和自体血回收回输技术联合应用对全髋关节置换手术的血液保护效果及其安全性。方法 2010年9月至2012年3月在本组实施全髋关节置换手术、预计出血量〉600ml的120例患者随机分为四组,每组30例：对照组、急性高容性血液稀释组、自体血回输组、急性高容性血液稀释组＋自体血回收回输组。术中、术后对血流动力学指标、凝血功能进行检测,记录术中失血量、输血量,麻醉时间和手术时间,以及评价并发症。结果采用自体回输血技术的患者中约50%患者不用再输异体血,其中自体血回输组未输异体血的比例46.67%、急性高容性血液稀释组＋自体血回收回输组未输异体血比例为60%,而对照组中仅10%的患者不需输入异体血,单纯AHH组为1/3患者未输异体血。与对照组相比,所有采用血液保护措施的患者异体输血量比对照组约少240ml,自体血回输技术的再回收率约为40%;术中、术后各组血流动力学指标和凝血功能指标无明显差异,均保持维持稳定;各种组均未发现与应用血液保护技术有关的并发症。结论联合应用急性高容性血液稀释和自体血回收回输技术,可以明显减少失血量、降低异体输血,对患者影响小,并发症低,对全髋关节置换手术来说是一种安全有效的血液保护技术,值得推广应用。     

Prior deposition of autologous blood in elective orthopaedic surgery

We retrospectively analyzed a program of prior deposit and storage of autologous blood that was used for patients who underwent elective orthopaedic procedures over a period of thirty-six months at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Of a total of 211 patients who underwent total joint replacement or spinal fusion during this period and who had sufficient records to be included in the study, a total of 159 patients enrolled in the program. The fifty-two patients who did not enroll in the study, twelve of whom were rejected because of medical problems, served as a control group. Since the preoperative hematocrit values for patients in the group that received autologous blood were similar to those for the control group, multiple preoperative phlebotomies in these patients, who had received supplemental iron, did not seem to have any deleterious effects. One hundred and thirteen (71 per cent) of the 159 patients who were enrolled in the program received only autologous blood. The remaining forty-six patients required homologous blood also, but 64 per cent of their transfusion needs were provided by autologous blood. The only reactions to the transfusions in the study were in four patients who received homologous blood. We think that a program of prior deposit and storage of autologous blood should be an option for patients who are to undergo elective orthopaedic surgery. Such a program is well tolerated by the patients and easily managed by the staff, and it was not difficult to implement at our tertiary referral hospital.     

Autologous transfusions for orthopaedic procedures at a children's hospital.

We conducted a critical review of the use of autologous transfusions in orthopaedics at a tertiary-care children's hospital. The cases of 198 children who deposited blood before an orthopaedic operation were analyzed. There were 175 children who were enrolled in the program of preoperative deposit of autologous blood who later needed transfusion of blood; 73 per cent of them received only autologous blood. Seventy patients also had intraoperative salvage. We were unable to document a proved benefit of intraoperative salvage of blood in this group of patients. Forty patients had some difficulty donating autologous blood preoperatively, but these problems were rarely serious. Major human errors occurred in thirteen patients and resulted in some patients receiving homologous transfusions while autologous blood components were still available. Fifty-five (40 per cent) of all of the transfusions were administered in clinical circumstances that failed to meet generally accepted criteria for transfusion, and fifty-four (38 per cent) of the postoperative transfusions also failed to meet these criteria. This was true of the homologous transfusions in the study as well. Although an autologous blood transfusion is a generally safe procedure, it is not without risk, and human errors can occur. In light of the potential complications, surgeons should adhere to the standard indications for transfusion when administering autologous blood.     

Post-operative blood salvage with autologous retransfusion in primary total hip replacement

Clinical, haematological or economic benefits of post-operative blood salvage with autologous blood re-transfusion have yet to be clearly demonstrated for primary total hip replacement. We performed a prospective randomised study to analyse differences in postoperative haemoglobin levels and homologous blood requirements in two groups of patients undergoing primary total hip replacement. A series of 158 patients was studied. In one group two vacuum drains were used and in the other the ABTrans autologous retransfusion system. A total of 58 patients (76%) in the re-transfusion group received autologous blood. There was no significant difference in the mean post-operative haemoglobin levels in the two groups. There were, however, significantly fewer patients with post-operative haemoglobin values less than 9.0 g/dl and significantly fewer patients who required transfusion of homologous blood in the re-transfusion group. There was also a small overall cost saving in this group.     

Efficacy of postoperative blood salvage following total hip arthroplasty in patients with and without deposited autologous units

BACKGROUND: Patients undergoing total hip replacement routinely receive perioperative blood transfusions, increasing their risk of blood-borne disease, isoimmunization, anaphylactic reaction, and hemolytic reaction. The purpose of this retrospective, case-control study was to evaluate the effect of postoperative blood salvage on the need for allogeneic transfusion following total hip replacement. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of ninety consecutive patients who, during a twelve-month period, had undergone unilateral, elective total hip replacement that included use of a postoperative blood salvage device. For comparison, we reviewed the medical records of ninety consecutive patients who had undergone total hip replacement without postoperative blood salvage. Overall, 156 patients had complete medical records and were included in the study. RESULTS: Eight (10 percent) of the patients who had been treated with a drain and seventeen (23 percent) of the patients who had been treated without a drain received allogeneic transfusions. Of the nineteen patients who had not deposited autologous blood, all six without postoperative blood salvage required allogeneic transfusion. With control for other variables in the model, regression analysis showed a significantly increased risk of allogeneic transfusion among patients who had undergone total hip replacement without postoperative blood salvage (p = 0.0028) and without having predonated autologous units (p = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Despite a limited sample size, the study results showed that postoperative blood salvage significantly reduced the risk of allogeneic transfusion among patients managed with total hip replacement, whether or not they had deposited autologous blood (p < 0.0001). With control for donated units, age, gender, preoperative hematocrit, intraoperative blood loss, and cementless technique, patients who were treated without postoperative blood salvage were approximately ten times more likely to require allogeneic transfusion than were patients who had a drain.     

Total hip arthroplasty in Jehovah's Witnesses without blood transfusion

One hundred patients who were Jehovah's Witnesses underwent total hip replacement without transfusion, of which eighty-nine procedures were performed under hypotensive anesthesia. Of these eighty-nine patients, sixty-five had not had previous hip surgery and sustained an average intraoperative blood loss of 450 milliliters. This was a 43 per cent reduction in blood loss as compared with a control group of patients, who were not Jehovah's Witnesses and who had total hip replacement under normotensive anesthesia. Twenty-four of the eighty-nine patients who were Jehovah's Witnesses and had had previous hip surgery underwent total hip arthroplasty under hypotensive anesthesia and sustained an average intraoperative blood loss of 680 milliliters, which was 30 per cent less than that of similar matched controls who were operated on under normotensive anesthesia. The postoperative blood loss in the patients who had had hypotensive anesthesia was not increased compared with that in the controls. Eleven Jehovah's Witnesses who were not candidates for hypotensive anesthesia had a total hip replacement under normotensive techniques. Factors other than hypotensive anesthesia that aided in reducing blood loss were careful surgical technique, meticulous hemostasis, and well planned surgery. There were six complications, one of which was possibly related to hypotensive anesthesia, and no deaths.     

Intraoperative autologous transfusion in orthopaedic patients

The cases of 175 consecutive patients who had intraoperative autologous transfusion during revision total hip arthroplasty, an elective operation on the spine, repair of trauma to the spine, or open reduction of a fracture of the acetabulum were reviewed to evaluate the applicability of this technique in orthopaedic operations. A separate group of forty-one consecutive patients who had open reduction of a fracture of the acetabulum or the spine before the introduction of the autotransfuser was reviewed and compared with the group that had autotransfusion. An autologous blood predeposit program was used for twenty-five of fifty-two patients who had a procedure on the hip and for fifty-one of fifty-five patients who had an elective procedure on the spine. The mean rate of red blood-cell salvage using the autotransfuser was 60 per cent over-all. The mean transfusion requirements were significantly less (p less than 0.001) in all groups of patients in whom the autotransfuser was used. Use of the autotransfuser reduced the mean requirement for banked blood in patients who had a fracture of the acetabulum from 3.8 to 2.3 units per patient, and significantly reduced the mean need for banked blood in individuals who had trauma to the spine from 2.7 to 1.8 units per patient (p less than 0.01). The use of prebanked autologous blood further reduced the mean requirement for homologous blood from 2.4 to 0.8 unit per patient in those who had revision total hip arthroplasty (p less than 0.005), and from 3.6 to 0.4 unit per patient in those who had an elective procedure on the spine (p less than 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Autotransfusion drains in total knee replacement. Are they alternatives to homologous transfusion?

We prospectively randomised 104 consecutive patients undergoing primary cemented total knee arthroplasty into two groups of 52 patients each, with one group to receive a standard suction drain (Redivac) and the other, an autologous transfusion drain (Bellovac). Randomisation was achieved using the software programme MINIM: , which was set to randomly allocate patients to either of the two groups based on their age, sex and body mass index (BMI). All procedures were performed under pneumatic tourniquet. Drains were released in the recovery room 20 min after surgery and removed 24 h following surgery. Blood collected in the standard suction drain (control group) was discarded, while blood collected in the autologous transfusion drains (study group) was transfused unwashed back to the patient within 6 h of collection. Thirteen patients (25%) in the study group had two or more units of homologous blood transfused in addition to the blood collected postoperatively and re-transfused (average: 438 ml). Twelve patients (23%) in the control group had two or more units of homologous blood transfused. No sepsis, transfusion reactions or coagulopathies were associated with the autologous blood transfused in the study group. The use of the autologous transfusion system (Bellovac) proved to be safe but failed to reduce the need for postoperative homologous blood transfusion following uncomplicated total knee arthroplasty.     

Predonation autologous blood in hip arthroplasty

In a prospective randomized study of elderly patients, a total of 130 units of blood were donated by 45 patients prior to a total hip arthroplasty. Fifteen patients served as controls (no phlebotomy). The average age was 71 (60-82) years. No major complication occurred with phlebotomy. All the patients were able to maintain their hematologic and chemical parameters within the normal range throughout the donation period. The autologous blood covered all the peroperative transfusion needs and 97 percent of the total transfusion requirements. There was less postoperative blood loss, as well as total blood loss, in the autologous groups compared with the control group. There was no difference in the rate of postoperative complications between the groups. The use of predeposited autologous blood in elective orthopedics, regardless of patient age, is feasible, cost effective, and avoids the risks associated with homologous blood transfusion.     

Necessity for autologous blood storage and transfusion in patients undergoing pancreatoduodenectomy

Purpose

To establish which patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) need autologous blood storage and transfusion.

Methods

Autologous blood was collected and stored for 69 patients scheduled to undergo PD, and not used in 50 patients. Based on the use of the deposited autologous blood and the estimated postoperative hemoglobin (Hb) level when blood was not deposited, we divided the patients into a “transfusion necessary” group and a “transfusion unnecessary” group. By comparing the two groups, we proposed a method of scoring to predict the necessity for storing autologous blood.

Results

The “transfusion necessary” group comprised 6 patients (2 who received homologous blood transfusion and 4 with an estimated postoperative Hb of <8.0 g/dL) and the “transfusion unnecessary” group comprised 63 patients (24 whose autologous blood was discarded and 39 with an estimated Hb ≥8.0 g/dL). By analyzing the differences between the groups, including the preoperative hemoglobin level and the need for portal vein resection, we devised a scoring system to predict the necessity of collecting autologous blood. The scoring significantly correlated with the proportion of patients who did not require autologous blood storage and transfusion.

Conclusions

Not all patients benefited from autologous blood storage and transfusion. Our scoring system proved useful for identifying which patients required autologous blood storage and transfusion during PD.

     

Pre-donated autologous blood transfusion in scoliosis surgery

We studied the use of autologous pre-donatedblood transfusion in surgery for scoliosis in 45 patients who were divided into two groups; 27 who pre-donated autologous blood (group 1) and 18 who were planned recipients of allogenic blood (group 2). Normovolaemic haemodilution and intra-operative blood salvage was used in six patients in group 1 and three patients in group 2. The two groups did not differ significantly with respect to age, American Society of Anaesthesiologists score, mean operative time, number of vertebral segments fused, total blood loss, length of stay in intensive care and length of stay in hospital. The risk of requiring allogenic blood transfusion was found to be significantly less in group 1 (7.4% v 88.9%, p < 0.001). Only 5.21% of autologous units were wasted. Although intra-operative blood salvage reduced the total blood loss in both groups, it did not affect the need for subsequent allogenic transfusion or reduce the number of pre-donated autologous units which were given (p < 0.67). Autologous blood transfusion requiredextra time, personnel, resources and cost pounds sterling 28.88 per patient more than allogenic transfusion, however, the projected costs at May 2002 make this programme cost-effective by pounds sterling 51.54 per patient. Pre-donated autologous blood transfusion is acceptable and safe in scoliosis surgery. It significantly reduces the subsequent requirement of allogenic transfusion. Although the cost is currently more than allogenic transfusion, with the increase in the costs of the latter and the decrease in potential donors which is anticipated, pre-donation of autologous blood will become comparatively cost-effective.     

Blood conservation in thoracic aortic surgery with total cardiopulmonary bypass

BACKGROUND: In thoracic aortic surgery, a large number of homologous transfusions sometimes cause systemic inflammatory response, which may lead to pulmonary dysfunction, renal dysfunction and brain edema. To predict the need for homologous blood transfusion in aortic surgery, we use blood transfusion index (preoperative Ht x body weight) to predict the magnitude of homologous transfusion. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From Dec 1997 to May 2000, 59 consecutive patients were underwent thoracic aortic graft replacement with total cardiopulmonary bypass. These patients were divided in 2 groups, who were underwent graft replacement without blood transfusions, and who needed blood transfusions. Each group was compared in age, sex, emergency, Ht, CPB time, blood transfusion index and operative mortality. RESULTS: Forty patients (67.7%) did not required blood transfusion. In elective cases (32 cases), 84.3% were underwent operation without blood transfusion. There was no significant difference between 2 groups in terms of age and mean bypass duration. Blood transfusion index was significantly higher in transfusion group (2,320 +/- 784) compared with that in not transfusion group (1,445 +/- 706). CONCLUSION: Blood transfusion index was useful preoperative parameter to predict the need for homologous transfusion.     

Induced moderate hypotensive anesthesia for spinal fusion and Harrington-rod instrumentation

The effect of moderate hypotensive anesthesia on blood loss, need for transfusion, and length of surgery of forty-nine patients who underwent posterior spinal fusion and Harrington-rod instrumentation was compared retrospectively. Twenty-seven patients were given enflurane as the main anesthetic agent, with fentanyl supplementation, and their blood pressure was maintained at twenty to thirty millimeters of mercury less than the preoperative systolic blood pressure. These patients were compared with twenty-two patients who had been anesthetized with nitrous oxide, oxygen, and narcotic technique and were normotensive throughout the duration of the anesthesia. The results were analyzed by the unpaired Student t test. Moderate hypotensive anesthesia was found to significantly decrease the average blood loss by nearly 40 per cent, reduce the need for transfusion by nearly 45 per cent, and shorten the average operating time by nearly 10 per cent. No complications attributable to the anesthetic technique occurred. The findings of this study suggest that moderate hypotensive anesthesia with enflurane and fentanyl supplementation may be of benefit in scoliosis surgery by reducing blood loss, the need for blood replacement, and operating time.     

Predonation autologous blood in hip arthroplasty

In a prospective randomized study of elderly patients, a total of 130 units of blood were donated by 45 patients prior to a total hip arthroplasty. Fifteen patients served as controls (no phlebotomy). The average age was 71 (60-82) years. No major complication occurred with phlebotomy. All the patients were able to maintain their hematologic and chemical parameters within the normal range throughout the donation period. The autologous blood covered all the peroperative transfusion needs and 97 percent of the total transfusion requirements. There was less postoperative blood loss, as well as total blood loss, in the autologous groups compared with the control group. There was no difference in the rate of postoperative complications between the groups.

The use of predeposited autologous blood in elective orthopedics, regardless of patient age, is feasible, cost effective, and avoids the risks associated with homologous blood transfusion.     

Autologous transfusion in acetabuloplasty in children

There were 22 patients with cerebral palsy aged six to 17 years who underwent an acetabuloplasty as part of an open reduction of the hip. In 11 patients a paediatric cell saver was used to collect autologous blood which was re-infused per-operatively. This group was compared to a cohort of 11 patients undergoing similar operations in whom only banked homologous blood was transfused. On average, 432 ml of autologous blood was reinfused compared to 909 ml of homologous blood (p < 0.01), representing 19.6% and 47% of the total blood volume, respectively (p < 0.002). Two units of homologous blood were transfused in the cell saver group compared with 20 units in the control group (p < 0.001). When using a paediatric cell saver, homologous blood transfusion was avoided in 82% of patients and there were no complications.     

Economic evaluation of a randomized clinical trial of haemodilution with cell salvage in aortic surgery

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the costs of acute normovolaemic haemodilution (ANH) and intraoperative cell salvage (ICS) versus homologous blood transfusion in aortic surgery in a prospective multicentre randomized trial. METHODS: One hundred and forty-five patients were randomized either to standard transfusion practice (homologous) or to a combination of ANH and ICS (autologous). Costs for each inpatient admission were identified. Cell salvage costs were assigned on the assumption that 50 operations were done each year employing a trained cell salvage operator. The results were analysed statistically using bias-corrected bootstrap analysis. RESULTS: Patients who had transfusion of homologous blood received some 251 units and those having a homologous transfusion received 103 units (P = 0.008). There was no difference in morbidity, mortality and duration of hospital stay. Transfusion-related mean costs were similar at 340 UK pounds for patients having a homologous transfusion and 357 UK pounds for those receiving autologous blood (mean difference 17 UK pounds (95 per cent confidence interval [c.i.]--184 UK pounds to 174 UK pounds); P not significant). There was also no significant difference in mean overall costs: 5859 UK pounds for homologous and 5384 UK pounds for autologous transfusion (mean difference--475 UK pounds (95 per cent c.i.--2231 UK pounds to 1342 UK pounds)). Sensitivity analysis showed that costs remained similar for 20 and 150 operations per annum. Exclusion of a dedicated cell salvage operator reduced autologous transfusion costs but did not have a significant impact on overall cost. CONCLUSION: Autologous transfusion is cost neutral in aortic surgery even when surgical activity is low.     

A prospective randomised controlled trial of autologous retransfusion in total knee replacement

We undertook a prospective randomised controlled trial to investigate the efficacy of autologous retransfusion drains in reducing the need for allogenic blood requirement after unilateral total knee replacement. We also monitored the incidence of post-operative complications. There were 86 patients in the control group, receiving standard care with a vacuum drain, and 92 who received an autologous drain and were retransfused postoperatively. Following serial haemoglobin measurements at 24, 48 and 72 hours, we found no difference in the need for allogenic blood between the two groups (control group 15.1%, retransfusion group 13% (p = 0.439)). The incidence of post-operative complications, such as wound infection, deep-vein thrombosis and chest infection, was also comparable between the groups. There were no adverse reactions associated with the retransfusion of autologous blood. Based on this study, the cost-effectiveness and continued use of autologous drains in total knee replacement should be questioned.     

Utilization of preoperative autologous blood donation in elective surgery

Background: The aim of the present paper was to review the pattern of collection and transfusion of autologous red cells for elective surgical procedures Methods: Data on requests for preoperative autologous donation of blood were obtained from the Australian Red Cross Blood Service, Victoria and the Royal Melbourne Hospital for the calendar year 1998. The following information was collected: patient age, sex, surgery type, number of autologous units requested and collected and, if relevant, reasons for not achieving the requested collection. Transfusion of autologous units and any additional homologous units was confirmed from records at the blood banks of the Royal Melbourne Hospital and Melbourne Pathology (the pathology provider performing cross‐matching for the majority of autologous units collected by Australian Red Cross Blood Service, Victoria). Results: Over 12 months, 2803 units of autologous blood were requested and 2282 units collected from 1301 patients. The most common reason for failure to collect the number of units requested was insufficient time between referral and surgery. Of the autologous units collected, 73% were transfused giving a collection to transfusion ratio of 1.4. Sixty‐eight per cent of patients received their autologous units only, 10% received both autologous and homologous units, while 22% were not transfused. For the majority of procedures, patients using preoperative autologous donation of blood had higher transfusion rates than those who did not use this. Conclusions: Ninety per cent of patients undergoing preoperative autologous donation of blood successfully avoided homologous blood exposure. However, preoperative autologous donation of blood is both wasteful and increases the incidence of transfusion in surgical procedures.