Abstract
M.Cur.
The purpose of this study is to determine how the intra- and postoperative administration of autotransfusion affects the administration of homologous blood transfusion in cardio-thoracic patients. Patients that receive cardio-thoracic surgery have an increased risk of bleeding as a result of several intra-operative events. Bleeding causes blood anemia that can be either prevented or corrected through blood transfusion. The negative side effects of homologous blood can be reduced or eliminated with auto transfusion. The following was observed and experienced in the cardio-thoracic critical care unit: cardio-thoracic patients receiving bloodtransfusions are dividable into three groups. The first group consist of cardio-thoracic patients that received only homologous bloodtransfusions and the second group received an autotransfusion of washed red cells in theatre and homologous bloodtransfusion. The third group received both types of autotransfusion and homologous bloodtransfusion. Another observation showed a possibility of a
decrease in the transfusion of homologous blood, with the use of autotransfusions. The question that arises, is:
How does the transfusion of autotransfusion intra- and post-operative influence the transfusion of homologous blood in the cardio-thoracic patient?