Utility of cell salvage in women undergoing abdominal myomectomy

Objective We examined the use and cost of autologous blood cell salvage in women who undergo abdominal myomectomy. Study Design Patients who underwent abdominal myomectomy from 2007-2011 were identified. Use of the cell salvage system and reinfusion of autologous blood in women who had the system set-up were analyzed. Cost was examined by directly reported data. Results We identified 607 patients who underwent abdominal myomectomy. Four hundred twenty-five women (70%) had the set-up of the cell salvage system. Cell-salvaged blood was processed and reinfused into 85 of these subjects (20%). In a multivariable model, performance of myomectomy by a gynecologic-specific surgeon (odds ratio [OR], 2.14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.28–3.59), >5 myomas (OR, 2.49; 95% CI, 1.27–4.89), and larger uterine size statistically were associated significantly with cell-salvage device set-up. Conversely, having a reproductive-endocrinology-infertility specialist as the surgeon was associated with a significant reduction in cell-salvage system set-up (OR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.21–0.66). For the women who had cell-salvage system set-up, uterine size of >15-19 weeks of gestation (OR, 3.22; 95% CI, 1.56–8.95) or ≥20 weeks of gestation (OR, 4.62; 95% CI, 1.45–14.73), operating time of >120 minutes (OR, 3.98; 95% CI, 1.70–9.29), and intraoperative blood loss of >1000 mL (OR, 26.31; 95% CI, 10.49–65.99) were associated significantly with a higher incidence of reinfusion of cell-salvaged blood. Conclusion The routine use of cell salvage in women who undergo abdominal myomectomy does not appear to be warranted. Cell-salvage set-up appears to be cost-effective only when reinfused, but clinical characteristics cannot predict accurately which women will require reinfusion of cell-salvaged blood.