Cell saver versus hemofilter for concentration of oxygenator blood after cardiopulmonary bypass

Concentration of superfluous blood in the oxygenator after the termination of a cardiopulmonary bypass was studied in 46 aortocoronary bypass patients. 15 patients were treated with a centrifugation system, the Haemonetics Cell Saver, 16 patients were treated with the Gambro Hollow Fibre Hemofilter and the remaining 15 patients received as much as possible from the untreated oxygenator contents and served as controls in a coagulation study. Both methods functioned well, the time consumption for operation of the two systems was similar. The products differed greatly as centrifugation revealed highly concentrated red cells in saline solution while hemofiltration produced protein-rich concentrated whole blood. A coagulation study of the patients who had received the concentrated products showed no signs of activation of the coagulation factors nor of the fibrinolytic system.