Autotransfusion following open-heart surgery.

Autotransfusion following cardiopulmonary bypass has been used infrequently. Certain patients are noted for the potential of serious hemorrhage following conclusion of bypass. A new autotransfusion technique for use in such patients is described. The method involves a simple modification of the basic cardiopulmonary bypass setup and requires no separate autotransfusion unit. It can be utilized for several minutes after the administration of protamine. Blood salvage can be considerable and at times lifesaving.