Transfusion-free cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass in a 2.2-kg neonate

Particularly in neonates, complex cardiac surgery employing cardiopulmonary bypass normally requires the transfusion of autologous blood components. This is predominately caused by the relatively high priming volume of the circuit with subsequent extreme hemodilution. We report on a synoptic approach to avoiding transfusions in a 2.2 kg neonate with scheduled for correction of an intracardiac total anomalous pulmonary venous connection to the coronary sinus and a persistent foramen ovale. In this patient with a preoperative hemoglobin value of 16.5 g/dL, minimization of the cardiopulmonary bypass circuit, adjustment of the perfusion technique and strict reduction of blood sampling resulted in complete avoidance of transfusions during the entire course of the operation while maintaining safe hemoglobin levels, which never fell below a concentration of 8 g/mL.