Blood transfusion in the perioperative period

Autologous blood transfusion in dogs with thoracic or abdominal hemorrhage: 25 cases (2007–2012)

“…ABT has been described extensively in the human literature with few complications reported . Reported advantages of ABT when compared to allogeneic blood transfusion include immediate availability, blood compatibility, avoidance of transfusion reactions, normothermic transfusion, no transmission of infectious agents, higher levels of RBC 2,3‐diphosphoglycerate, and decreased overall cost . The procedure is not widely reported to be performed in veterinary medicine, possibly due to a lack of data on clinical outcome associated with ABT.…”

“…Blundell first described ABT in dogs in 1818, when he removed and reinfused blood into a dog by syringe. Various ABT techniques have since been described in the veterinary literature and are referred to as technically simple and inexpensive to perform . Complications reported in the human and canine medical literature include hemolysis, coagulation disorders, microembolism, air embolism, sepsis, and metastasis through reinfusion of neoplastic cells.…”

Successful management of catastrophic peripheral vascular hemorrhage using massive autotransfusion and damage control surgery in a dog

“…A previous report in dogs found no significant association between outcome and the addition of anticoagulant in 25 cases of autologous blood transfusion, however these were cases of cavity hemorrhage. Cavity hemorrhage typically involves prolonged contact with the peritoneal/pleural surface, thereby resulting in defibrinated blood that does not clot . In the present case of extremity hemorrhage, fibrin was still present as indicated by the formation of clots and thus anticoagulation may have been preferred had significant hemorrhage been anticipated.…”

“…Other potential complications associated with autotransfusion include acute lung injury due to embolization of cellular aggregates, fat and protein to the pulmonary vasculature, and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) due to the presence of fibrin degradation products, red blood cell fragments, activated leukocytes, platelets, and inflammatory mediators that may activate the clotting cascade . There was no evidence of acute lung injury or DIC posttransfusion in the dog presented here.…”

Perioperative red blood cell transfusion requirement for various surgical procedures in dogs: 207 cases (2004–2013)

“…Kerl and Hohenhaus 5 developed a transfusion need scale on the basis of current hospital transfusion practices and available human literature in 1989; this scale assigned point values to criteria including anemia determined by PCV, history of rapid blood loss versus gradual decrease in RBC production, need for anesthesia, and clinical signs related to anemia, such as weakness, tachypnea, and tachycardia. [2][3][4][5][6] The transfusion criteria were compared with the medical records of those patients that had received RBC transfusions. 5 Conversely, the scale failed in dogs with acute blood loss that would not yet have changes in their PCV or anesthetized patients that would not acquire points for clinical signs such as tachypnea or weakness.…”