[The catecholamine concentrations of collected autologous blood during adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma]

We have studied the concentrations of catecholamines in collected autologous blood. The measured levels of the blood samples from Cell-stat collecting chamber were epinephrine 4.74 ng.ml-1 and norepinephrine 2.39 ng.ml-1. First wash of collected blood with 700 ml of saline diluted the catecholamine concentrations to epinephrine 3.13 ng.ml-1 and norepinephrine 1.6 ng.ml-1. The concentrations of catecholamines after second wash were epinephrine 2.19 ng.ml-1 and norepinephrine 1.11 ng.ml-1. These values were three to twenty folds of normal ranges even after the second wash, and still the same levels as intraoperative plasma catecholamine (the measured values; epinephrine 0.81-2.81 ng.ml-1 and norepinephrine 0.96-3.15 ng.ml-1). Since platelets actively concentrate catecholamines during their life span, the destruction of platelets by suction or centrifugation may probably play the most important role in the elevation of catecholamine concentrations in the collected autologous blood. We concluded that intraoperative autotransfusion in the resection of pheochromocytoma is likely to result in the elevation of systemic blood pressure by catecholamines of the transfused blood.