Autotransfusion in the postanesthesia care unit.

During the postoperative period, blood loss after major orthopedic surgery can be significant. Until recently, there was no way to salvage this loss and return it to the patient. Increased demands on blood bank supplies and risk of blood-transmitted diseases have stimulated interest in the development of a relatively compact and portable machine that it salvages the blood loss and processes it for retransfusion. The PACU at Green Hospital of Scripps Clinic has begun using this technique with a significant increase in blood salvaging and return to the patient.