Anaesthesia and Autologous Transfusion

The anaesthesiologist plays a central role in co-ordinating the combined application of the various blood saving techniques. In fact, to carry out transfusion therapy correctly, the anaesthesiologist must plan the right number of units of predeposit blood during the first examination, estimate the salvage of intra and post operative blood loss and spread the infusion of the units over the first three days in order to keep the patient in a state of haemodilution. From January 1992 to June 1994 in the department of anaesthesia and the intensive care unit, 980 patients were treated for total joint replacement: 714 total hips (7 after removal of plates and screws) 145 revisions, and 121 total knee prostheses. Basal Hb was 13.4 ± 1.4 g/dl (range 6.7 – 17.9 g/dl). Homologous transfusions were carried out in 6.3% of these patients. The need to use homologous transfusions was negatively influenced by female sex, coronary heart disease (p = 0.005), length of surgery and type of antithromboembolic prophylaxis (indobufen has a significantly low incidence - p = 0.0001 - compared to calcium heparin or low molecular weight heparin).