Influence of different autotransfusion devices on the quality of salvaged blood

Cardiopulmonary bypass causes a systemic inflammatory response and impaired hemostasis. We investigated whether intraoperative blood salvage with the cardiotomy suction contributes to these alterations. Furthermore, an alternative autotransfusion device (Haemonetics cell-saving device) was examined.

In 10 patients, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, thrombin-antithrombin complex, plasmin-antiplasmin complex, free hemoglobin, and the percentage of CD62+ thrombocytes were determined in the systemic circulation during cardiopulmonary bypass, in the cardiotomy suction tube, and in the blood from the cell-saving device. Additionally, bacterial contamination was examined.

Median levels of interleukin-6 (52 versus 10 microg/L; p = 0.005), interleukin-8 (26 versus 20 microg/L; p = 0.017), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (24 versus 1 microg/L; p = 0.005), thrombin-antithrombin complex (113 versus 43 microg/L; p = 0.005), plasmin-antiplasmin complex (566 versus 489 microg/L; p = 0.022), and free hemoglobin (61 versus 30 mg/dL; p = 0.005) were higher in the cardiotomy suction tube compared with the systemic circulation. After processing the blood from the cell-saving device, interleukin-8, thrombin-antithrombin complex, and free hemoglobin remained above reference range, and in 90% of the cases bacterial contamination was observed.

Cardiotomy suction additionally contributes to the release of proinflammatory cytokines, activation of coagulation, and hemolysis. Because blood salvage with a Haemonetics cell-saving device led to normalization of some, but not all, parameters and bacterial contamination was common, the alternative use seems at least questionable.