Pre-operative autologous donation for minimising perioperative allogeneic blood transfusion

Abstract

Background: Public concerns regarding the safety of transfused blood have prompted reconsideration of the indications for the transfusion of allogeneic red cells (blood from an unrelated donor), and a range of techniques designed to minimise transfusion requirements. Objectives: To examine the evidence for the efficacy of pre-operative autologous blood donation (PAD) in reducing the need for perioperative allogeneic red blood cell (RBC) transfusion. Search methods: Articles were identified by searches of the electronic databases; MEDLINE (January 1950 to July 2009), EMBASE (January 1980 to Week 31, 2009), ISI Web of Science (inception to August 2009), The Cochrane Library 2009, Issue 3, and ..