Autotransfusion: 15 Years experience at Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute

The program of blood saving, result of 15 years of experience, includes predeposit (1977) hemodilution (1979) intra (1984) and postoperative (1985) salvage, careful intra and postoperative bleeding control, use of homologous transfusion only in case of intolerated anaemia even for 7-8g/dl Hb values. The use of autologous compared to homologous transfusion passed from 19% in 1984 to 62% in 1992. In 1992 in the surgical division of the 1st Anaesthesia and Intensive Care unit, 414 patients underwent prosthetic hip and knee surgery, 8% of these patients were homologously transfused.