Experience with an intraoperative autogenous blood recovery system in scoliosis and spinal surgery

A clinical trial of an intraoperative autogenous blood recovery system shows that while the method is safe, the cost in spinal surgery is quite high. The unit was used in 20 procedures in 18 patients thought to have increased risk of intraoperative bleeding (mature idiopathic, congenital, myelomeningocele, Marfan's, and irradiation scolioses and late spinal fractures). Collection in four procedures was either insufficient for use of contaminated. In the remaining 16 cases, 20% of the blood loss was recovered. A total of ten units of blood was recovered, at a cost of $283/unit; this is four times the current cost for a unit of blood in the local blood bank. The method would be more beneficial if a huge blood loss were anticipated, as most of its cost is incurred in the setup, and the higher the blood loss at surgery, the higher the percentage of the yield might be. The method may be useful with rate blood types and for patients with religious objections to transfusions.