Autologous transfusion uses a patient’s own blood instead of donor blood, reducing the risk of disease and human error. It is preferred in some surgeries, but not always ideal, and may not be possible in emergencies or for patients with certain conditions. Patients should discuss with their surgeon beforehand.
An autologous transfusion is a blood transfusion that uses the person’s own blood, collected before surgery, during an operation, or after surgery, instead of using donor blood. Transfusions with donor blood are called allogeneic. While medicine has perfected techniques for identifying matches between donors and those who need blood, allogeneic blood transfusions are not without risk. There is still concern about the possibility of disease or contamination in blood supplies, the possibility of human error in transfusing the wrong blood type, and the possibility that even a closely matching allogeneic transfusion could cause dangerous reactions.
For this reason, and also because some people have strong religious beliefs that prohibit allogeneic blood transfusions, doctors have worked hard to create standards and new methods to improve autologous transfusion. In some surgeries, especially cardiac and pulmonary ones, an autologous transfusion may be preferred to allogeneic ones.
There are a few ways to prepare for autologous transfusion. Some doctors ask patients undergoing scheduled surgery to donate blood before surgery. This is then stored specifically for the patient and used as needed. Another option is to use blood collected during surgery and transfuse this into the body. Sometimes, if the blood supply is particularly short, in an emergency setting, there is no choice but to use autologous transfusion, to help a patient make up for blood lost due to injury or surgery.
Autologous transfusion is not always ideal. In heart surgery, replacing lost blood with a patient’s own blood can cause blood test errors later. It can be particularly difficult to get an accurate heart enzyme count, and it is possible to miss complications of surgery such as a heart attack.
When a significant injury is present, it may not always be possible to collect blood, called blood salvage, and contaminants may exist in the blood. Autologous transfusion is strongly discouraged for patients with cancer, as blood can contain cancer cells, which can then invade other parts of the body. People with infections are not good candidates for this type of transfusion, as washing the blood may not completely get rid of infectious molecules, which can exacerbate health problems after surgery.
If you are interested in autologous transfusion for an upcoming surgery, you should speak with your surgeon beforehand. A cooperative effort is often required to get blood supplies to the surgeon on time and arrange for blood donation. Alternatively, the surgeon should plan to use operative or postoperative blood salvage.
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