[Autologous blood transfusion as whole blood or blood components?].

Modern haemotherapy is equivalent to restrictive use of blood components. Therefore, transfusion of whole blood in homologous transfusion generally cannot be accepted. In autologous blood transfusion blood components also are preferable if they can be separated appropriately. In order to have broad application of preoperative autologous blood deposits, close cooperation to transfusion services should be established guaranteeing optimal production of blood components. If this cooperation is impossible there are no objections against the use of autologous whole blood as long as the expected blood consumption is less than 3 red cell units. Additionally, in this case storage of more than 3 weeks mostly is not necessary. The fact that whole blood is not further part of the 'Monographien' of the Federal Health Administration (BGA) does not forbid the use of autologous whole blood since the 'Monographien' only concern generally available homologous blood components.