← Blood Choices Autologous Procedure
Cell Salvage
What it is
A technique that collects blood lost during surgery, washes and filters it, then returns it to the patient. No donor blood involved.
If you accept vs. refuse
Accept Why some people accept
- Uses your own blood — no donor blood involved
- Reduces need for allogeneic transfusion by up to 39% (Cochrane Review)
- Recommended by WHO Patient Blood Management guidelines
- Blood stays in a closed circuit connected to your body
Refuse Why some people refuse
- Some consider blood that has left the body to be no longer part of the person
- Requires specialized equipment (Cell Saver machine) not available at all facilities
- In some interpretations, the temporary external storage conflicts with religious beliefs
Related concepts
Equipment Cell Saver Machine An autotransfusion device that collects, washes, and returns a patient's own blood during surgery. Made by Haemonetics and others.
Equipment Thromboelastography (TEG) A point-of-care device that measures clotting function in real time, guiding targeted treatment instead of empiric transfusion.
Topic Patient Blood Management An evidence-based, multidisciplinary approach to optimizing the care of patients who might need transfusion. Endorsed by the WHO since 2010.
Topic Surgical Blood Management Techniques and protocols to minimize blood loss during surgery: controlled hypotension, meticulous hemostasis, cell salvage, and hemodilution.
Topic Cardiac Surgery Heart surgery techniques that minimize or eliminate the need for transfusion, including miniaturized bypass circuits and RAP.
Autologous Procedure Hemodilution Blood is drawn immediately before surgery and replaced with IV fluids. The blood is returned to the patient after surgery, reducing the loss of concentrated blood. Glossary Autologous From oneself. Autologous procedures use the patient's own blood, not blood from a donor.
Medical references
Shander et al. (2004) Alternatives to Blood Transfusion. British Journal of Anaesthesia. Landmark paper on non-blood strategies. →Carless et al. (2010) Cell salvage for minimising perioperative allogeneic blood transfusion. Cochrane Review. Gold-standard evidence for cell salvage efficacy. →Engelbrecht et al. (2005) Bloodless cardiac surgery in Jehovah's Witness patients. Heart Surgery Forum. Outcomes comparable to conventional approach. →Vaislic et al. (2003) Cardiac surgery in Jehovah's Witness patients: ten-year experience. Annals of Thoracic Surgery. →
In your Directive
Your directive will instruct providers to use intraoperative cell salvage when available during surgical procedures.
Make this choice in your Directive
Your blood product decisions are recorded clearly and shared with your Care Team.
Create your Directive