An experience of autologous transfusion by preoperative autologous blood donation

Lee, Woo In; Kim, Won Kyu; Suh, Jin Tae

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Preoperative autologous blood donation is utilized to reduce the risk of transfusion associated infections and transfusion reactions using homologous blood. We analyzed our experiences of autologous blood donations in Kyung Hee University Hospital.
METHODS
From Jan. 1996 to Feb. 1997, we analyzed 213 patients who visited the blood donation room for autologous blood donation.
RESULTS
Among 213 patients, 32 patients(15%) were rejected because of unfittedness with donor criteria. The majority of donor were orthopedic patients(95.4%). 14 patients(8%) could not finish the donation during the blood collection period because of donor reaction. The major cause was anemia(6 cases, 43%). During the donation period, mean of hemoglobin level was decreased by 1.3g/dL. Less than 1.5g/dL of hemoglobin reduction was observed in 117 patients(64.6%). In the use of donated blood, 43% used only autologous blood, 40.5% used autologous blood and additional homologous blood, and 16.5% were diacarded. The seropositive rates of HBsAg, anti-HCV, anti-HIV, and VDRL were 7%, 0.6%, 0%, and 0.6%, respectively. Simultaneously seropositive rate of HBsAg & anti-HCV was 0.6%.
CONCLUSION
Autologous blood donation can be a good transfusion practice for elective surgery. Physician education programs are needed to avoid necessary homologous blood and unnececessary autologous blood donation.