In vitro testing of a current cell salvaging device for the removal of malignant cells from contaminated blood

The efficiency of a current cell washing device for removing tumor cells from bovine blood was examined under laboratory conditions. In the in-vitro laboratory, anticoagulated bovine blood was seeded with known numbers of immunocytochemical stained human malignant epithelial cells (KB) grown in culture. The blood was subjected to cell washing. Blood samples were taken before and after cell washing for identification of the tumor cells. The samples were then analyzed under florescence microscopy and pre- and post-cell washing tumor cell counts in 20 microscopic fields were recorded. It was determined that the mean tumor cell removal efficiency was 86% +/- 13% using the cell salvaging technique. Two-way ANOVA revealed a significant difference between the pre- and post-cell washing samples (p < 0.001) with no difference between trials (p = NS). The results are discussed in terms of the potential safety of cell salvaged blood for the surgical care patient.