[Preoperative autologous blood donation in thoracic surgery]

The donation by the patient of two units of his own blood shortly before (on average on the 9th and 7th day) scheduled major surgery on the chest is feasible in 70 to 80% of patients. In our group (n = 170) it resulted in a highly significant reduction in the use of banked blood units: a 76% reduction vis-a-vis the number of units transfused in a group operated on in the previous year and comprising comparable patients receiving comparable procedures, in whom no autologous blood was administered. The procedure is cost-effective.