[Autologous blood replacement in urology]

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Transfusion Medicine
• Surgical Oncology

Context:

• Autotransfusion, or intraoperative blood salvage, is a technique to recover and reinfuse a patient's own blood lost during surgery.
• Urological surgeries, such as transurethral resections of the prostate and radical prostatectomies, can involve significant blood loss.
• The 'Cell Saver' (Haemonetics) is a device commonly used for intraoperative blood salvage and reinfusion.

Purpose:

• To evaluate the efficacy and applicability of intraoperative autotransfusion using a cell saver in various urological operations.
• To assess the safety and feasibility of reinfusing salvaged blood in patients undergoing procedures like transurethral resection of the prostate and radical prostatectomy.
• To determine if autotransfusion is a warranted practice in urological surgery based on clinical experience.

Summary:

• A total of 67 urological operations were analyzed, including transurethral resections of the prostate (24), transvesical resections of the prostate (30), and radical prostatectomies (13).
• Intraoperative blood loss was collected, processed, and reinfused as washed, packed red blood cells using a cell saver.
• Patients with preoperative urinary tract infections were excluded from reinfusion during transurethral resections of the prostate; radical prostatectomy was identified as an ideal procedure for autotransfusion.

Impact:

• Intraoperative autotransfusion with a cell saver is a viable and potentially beneficial option for managing blood loss in urological surgery.
• The study supports the broader application of autotransfusion techniques in urology, contributing to patient safety and potentially reducing the need for allogeneic blood transfusions.
• Experience suggests that autotransfusion is warranted in urological surgery, highlighting its utility even in oncologic procedures like radical prostatectomy.