Fifty-one patients admitted to the Cardiovascular Service of the University of Puerto Rico Hospital underwent a variety of cardiovascular operations utilizing autologous blood. Single or multiple phlebotomies were performed prior to surgery; the usual volume withdrawn was 500 ml. All patients received hydrogenated dextran complex Fifty operations were performed. Thirty patients underwent a single phlebotomy, 15 patients two phlebotomies, three patients three phlebotomies and one patient underwent four phlebotomies. Thirty of the 50 operations were thoracotomies, 15 were done with autologous blood only.During actual surgical procedures 93.8 units of blood were used of which 56.5 units were autologoua (60%) and 97.3 homologous. All patients except one had h e m a t d t values above 35% before the first phlebotomy. The reticulocyte count increased to two or three per cent, but it never exceeded five per cent.The advantages obtained with the use of autotransfusion are: 1) the prevention of transfusion reactions; 2) the prevention of serum hepatitis and other infections; 3) the availability of rare blood; 4) early reticulocytaois and accelerated erythropoiesis.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.