Application of blood salvaging technologies in cardiosurgical patients operated under cardiopulmonary bypass

Aim. To evaluate the effectiveness of blood salvaging technologies in cardiosurgical patients operated under cardiopulmonary circulation. Methods. Analysis of perfusion protocols and transfusion cards of cardiosurgical patients operated using cardiopulmonary bypass during the period 2010-2011. Two groups of patients were identified: the first group - with the application of blood salvaging technologies (906 patients), the second group - without the application of this technique (122 patients). Blood from the operative wound was collected during the operation, processed, filtered through the «Cell-saver» machine from «Fresenius» company and was then re-introduced into the patient’s bloodstream. After completion of cardiopulmonary bypass the blood remaining in the circuit of the cell-saver machine and blood that was discharged through the drainage tubes was returned to the patient after being processed. Results. In the first group at the end of the operation 314.6±28.6 ml of washed red blood cells were returned to the patient from the heart-lung machine, while during the first postoperative day, the amount of the returned autologous erythrocytes from the drainage tubes was 72.8±12.5 ml. In this group, only 45 (4.9%) patients required donor erythrocyte mass transfusion, its volume per patient amounted to 172.3±31.8 ml. In the first group 182 (20.1%) patients required transfusion of fresh frozen plasma with the aim of achieving hemostasis, its volume amounted to 425±51.3 ml. In the second group 51 (41.8%) patients received erythrocyte mass transfusion in the volume of 346.7±31.1 ml, and 86 (70.5%) - received fresh frozen plasma in the amount of 568.7±41.2 ml. Hemoglobin content and hematocrit at the end of the operation and on the first postoperative day were significantly higher in the first group compared to the second group (p <0.01). These changes were associated with both intraoperative bleeding and with the loss of blood through the drainage tubes on the first postoperative day in the second group of patients. Compensation for these losses required transfusion of blood components significantly more frequently (p <0.001) and in larger volumes (p <0.01) than in the first group. Conclusion. Blood salvaging technologies using the «Cell-saver» machine during cardiac surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass significantly reduce blood loss, reduce the number of postoperative hospital days and complications, and are less expensive.