Failure of transfusion of autologous whole blood to reduce banked-blood requirements in open-heart surgical patients.

Although transfusion of autologous blood by the method described would seem to be a safe and proctical means of reducing banked-blood requirements for open-heart operations, our experience indicates that the amount of blood needed to be added to the pump oxygenator more than negates the value in reducing intraoperative blood requirements. In fact, autologously transfused patients used more blood than did control subjects. Platelet and fresh-frozen plasma administration was not significantly different for the autologous transfusion or control group.