Abstract
Aim: To establish the effectiveness of using the intra-operative cell saver in spinal surgery.
Methods: Patients undergoing posterior instrumental lumber spine fusion with iliac crest bone graft were selected to have intra-operative red cell salvage using the cell saver machine (Dideco Electra-Auto-transfusion Cell Separator). 20 patients were in the study group. The control group consisted of 28 patients who had undergone similar surgery prior to introducing the cell saver. The parameters identified were: pre and post operative haemoglobin, clotting state, volume of transfused allogenic blood, volume of transfused autollogous blood using the cell saver and indications for transfusion. Statistical analysis: the chi-square and the t-test.
Results: The average age in the cell saver group was 43.8 years and in the control group 48.3 (p> 0.09). The number of levels fused was comparable between the two groups (p> 0.1). There was no difference in the pre and post operative haemoglobin level in the two groups (p> 0.7 & p> 0.3 respectively). No patient had a pre-operative coagulopathy. Two patients (10%) in the cell saver group received an intra-operative allogenic transfusion, 14 patients (50%) in the non-cell saver group received a transfusion. The difference was significant (p< 0.004). Conclusion: The use of the cell saver significantly reduces the need for allogenic blood transfusion in major spinal surgery. We therefore recommend its routine use in such procedures.
Theses abstracts were prepared by Professor Roger Lemaire. Correspondence should be addressed to EFORT Central Office, Freihofstrasse 22, CH-8700 Küsnacht, Switzerland.
