Blood conservation techniques

Blood conservation in the surgical patient is a team effort that requires careful planning throughout the patient’s entire hospital stay.

Many blood conservation devices and techniques have been developed to decrease and/or eliminate the need for blood transfusion in the surgical patient.

Preoperative

• Laboratory screening and identification of high-risk patients
• Treatment for anemia may include iron, folate, B12 supplements and EPO

Intraoperative

• Meticulous surgical hemostasis
• Cell saver
• Post op salvage
• Acute Normovolemic Hemodilution
• RAP – Retrograde Autologous Prime
• Enhanced coagulation testing (TEG, PT, aPTT, Plt, Fib)
• Utilization of a coagulation algorithm
• Aprotinin – Bovine serine protease inhibitor, which reduces transfusion in orthopedics, thoracic, hepatic resection and transplant
• DDAVP – Desmopressin acetate, which is used in specific patients with demonstratable and specific platelet dysfunction
• Amicar/Tranexamic acid

Postoperative

• Limited blood draws and sample size for laboratory analysis
• Normothermia