[Heparin elimination in intraoperative autotransfusion with the haemonetics cell saver]

Intraoperative autotransfusion has proved useful in decreasing decisively the need of donor blood in major operations. Due to an important technical development of the equipment used including the possibility to separate red blood cells and to wash them in physiological saline, typical problems occurring during intraoperative autotransfusion seem to be overcome for the most part. One of these problems is the retransfusion of the citrate or heparin added for anticoagulation of blood. Heparin itself may be responsible for a disturbance of coagulation. The efficiency of eliminating heparin by washing it in the Haemonetics Cell Saver was tested by means of a high sensitive heparin test. Partly the samples were totally free of heparin, partly small remains of heparin could be found. Even the maximum value of 60 I.E. measured in one autologous red blood cell concentrate is of no importance for the daily clinical practice. Intraoperative autotransfusion with the Haemonetics Cell Saver is also superior to a homologous transfusion of blood with its unavoidable share of citrate.