Underutilization of autologous blood donation among eligible elective surgical patients.

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1987. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Underutilization of autologous blood donation among eligible elective surgical patients.

Am J Surg. 1986 Nov;152(5):483-6. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/87046606
Toy PT; Stehling LC; Strauss RG; Esposito B; Huling D; Poole L; Sears R

Abstract: In January 1983, blood banks encouraged the use of autologous blood for transfusion in elective surgical patients due to the advent of transfusion-associated AIDS. Since autologous blood does not transmit hepatitis and other viruses and does not cause alloimmunization, it should be utilized whenever possible. To determine whether patients eligible to predeposit autologous blood before elective operation were actually doing so, we studied patients at three hospitals between January 1 and June 30, 1985. Patients considered eligible for autologous predeposit blood donation were adults with preoperative hemoglobin levels of 11 g/dl or more who underwent elective surgical procedures for which blood transfusion was anticipated. Excluded were patients undergoing cardiovascular, intracranial, or renal transplant procedures. Of eligible patients, only 11 percent (32 of 278) predeposited blood; of these, 81 percent (26 of 32) were transfused with only autologous blood. Among eligible patients who did not predeposit blood, all could have benefited from predepositing because transfusion was likely for the procedure. Of those who did not predeposit, 33 percent (83 of 246) received homologous blood and therefore would have benefited from autologous donation. We conclude that autologous donations are underutilized for medically eligible patients undergoing elective operation.

Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/ETIOLOGY Blood Banks/ORGANIZATION & ADMIN Blood Transfusion/ADVERSE EFFECTS Blood Transfusion, Autologous/*UTILIZATION Human Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. Surgery, Operative/*TRENDS United States JOURNAL ARTICLE

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