Replacement of blood loss during surgical procedures with blood collected in citrate phosphate dextrose solution.

Abstract

THE practice of giving multiple transfusions of blood, not only for the emergency treatment of severe hemorrhage but also to meet the requirements of elective surgery involving extensive blood loss, and for priming the pump oxygenator in open-heart surgery, is increasing rapidly. Although bank blood is satisfactory in most emergencies, fresh blood is preferred in exchange transfusions and in operations involving cardiac shunt. The collection of large quantities of heparinized blood in a twenty-four-hour period imposes a burden on the blood bank, and, if not used, the blood cannot be returned to the bank for routine use and is therefore . . .