Experience of Autotransfusion in Spinal Surgery

Do, Sang Hwan; Min, Sung Won; Kim, Chong Soo; Lee, Ji Ho; Kim, Gaab Soo; Cho, Kwang Tae

Abstract

Autotransfusion has been used widely in surgical patients for the purpose of preventing complications associated with homologous transfusion. Recently it has been drawing much attention for the fear of transfusion-transmitted disease, especially AIDS. So we studied about the auto-transfusion applied to spinal surgical patients with various combinations of its methods in each patient. We measured perioperative changes of complete blood count associated with autotrans-fusion and the amount of blood salvaged by intra-and postoperative autotransfusion. And we scrutinized the occurrence of complications associated with transfusion. After presurgical blood deposit of 3 units (n=12), hemoglobin and hematocrit levels decreased to 12.0+/-1.2 gm% and 35.5+/-2.6% while the initial levels were 14.0+/-1.1 gm% and 40.6+/-2.8% respectively. The average salvaged blood volume during operation by Cell Saver (Haemonetics, USA) was 300+/-110 ml (n=14) and postoperatively salvaged blood volume using Orth-evac(TM) was 313+/-114 ml (n=14). Of those who received postoperative autotransfusion (n=l4), 2 patients revealed febrile reaction immediately after transfusion, but fever subsided thereafter without specific treatment. In conclusion, autotransfusion was carried out safely in operations when transfusion was expected, and so we recommend autotransfusion as a method of transfusion by which the complications of homologous transfusion can be averted.