In vitro analysis of cell salvage blood collection with a laparoscopic suction device

To determine whether cell salvage blood collection with a laparoscopic suction device is inferior to use of a traditional Yankauer suction device.

Prospective, in vitro study.

Academic teaching hospital.

Individual units of donated packed red blood cells were diluted with normal saline solution to a hematocrit level of 21%. The blood was divided into 2 equal parts and then suctioned with either a laparoscopic suction device or a Yankauer plastic suction catheter tip connected to double-lumen cell salvage tubing with a diluted heparin drip and a vacuum pressure of 100 mm Hg. Collected blood was processed with a cell salvage device. Red blood cell volume was calculated by multiplying the hematocrit level by the total volume of blood product at the time of testing. Mean hemolysis indexes were compared between the laparoscopic and Yankauer method of blood collection by use of a 2-sample t test. Assuming a clinically acceptable limit of loss to be 7%, percent loss in red blood cell volume was tested with a 95% one-sided confidence limit to assess noninferiority.

The mean hemolysis index was 43.33 with laparoscopic suction method and 34.67 with the Yankauer suction method. The mean difference was 8.67 and was not considered significant (p = .074). The percent loss in red blood cell volume after collection and cell salvage processing was 33.2% with the laparoscopic suction method and 29.57% with the Yankauer method. The mean difference was 3.63% and was within the acceptable 7% loss limit for noninferiority (p = .0278).

Laparoscopic blood collection is not inferior to the standard Yankauer method for cell salvage collection.