[Use of autologous blood, plasma and thrombocyte concentrates in heart surgery]

The objective of the work was to assess whether autologous platelets will reduce haemorrhage after cardiac operations and the need of blood transfusions.

From 34 patients in the course of 3 - 4 weeks before operation apheretically on average 935 ml fresh frozen plasma (FFP) were taken and two transfusion units (TU) of whole blood. In group A (13 patients, 9 men and 4 women, aged 53 +/- 12 years) the blood losses during 24 hours after operation amounted to 982 +/- 589 ml and the total losses were 1,129 +/- 787 ml. It was necessary to administer 1.9 +/- 1.5 TU of homologous red cell concentrates and 5.0 +/- 2.9 TU of homologous FFP. Three patients (23%) did not need any homologous red cell concentrates and 2 (15%) did not need homologous FFP. In group B (21 patients, 14 men and 7 women, aged 55 +/- 14 years), there moreover one or two days before operation apheretically 2.6 +/- 0.5 x 10(11) platelets were withdrawn and 420 ml FFP, the blood losses within 24 hours were 581 +/- 201 ml and the total losses 635 +/- 220 ml. It was necessary to administer 0.9 +/- 1.3 TU homologous red cell mass and 2.2 +/- 2.1 TU homologous FFP. Eleven patients (52%) did not need a transfusion of homologous red cell concentrates and 9 (43%) did not need homologous FFP. The differences in blood losses and transfusions of homologous preparations between groups ar statistically significant (p < 0.001).

The use of autologous platelets reduces significantly blood losses and the need of transfusions of homologous preparations during operations on the heart.