Autologous blood transfusion (also known as autotransfusion) has a number of advantages for patients compared to donor blood transfusion. For patients with concerns about receiving donor blood, whether related to religious beliefs, disease transmission, vaccines, or immune response, autotransfusion is an ideal solution with a variety of added benefits.

Benefits of Autologous Blood Transfusion for Patients

Cell saver technology allows patients the opportunity to receive their own blood back in the event of surgery, trauma, or incidental blood loss. Their blood is cleaned and filtered in real time and can be used immediately. Research has indicated that autotransfusion has a number of key benefits, including the following:

• Unlikely Immune Response. Since the patient is receiving their own blood, they are not subject to the risk of immune response that comes with receiving donor blood. Additionally, there’s no time spent on blood typing or trying to find a compatible match. 

• Reduced Chance of Disease Transmission. Stat Pearls states, “Despite advancements in testing methodologies, donated blood products remain a potential source of bacterial, viral, and parasitic transmission.” The risk is much lower with autologous blood transfusion because of how the patient’s blood is collected, washed, and filtered.

• Lower Risk of Infection. Receiving donor blood can burden the patient’s immune system and leave them more vulnerable to disease. Autologous blood rarely activates an immune response, and The American Journal of Translational Research says it can improve the immune status of patients, which is critical after surgery or a traumatic incident.

• Fewer Complications and Readmissions. Not only does autotransfusion reduce rates of infection, it also preserves important blood components and reduces the volume of problematic particles. For example, cell saver technology and the use of filtering allows for the straining of particles that can cause emboli. This can prevent complications and readmissions, allowing for faster recovery times and reduced length of stay.

• Reduced Risk to Cancer Patients. In cancer patients, allogeneic blood transfusion is an independent and significant risk factor for tumor progression. Autotransfusion, in many observational studies, has been shown to be safe for cancer patients because the filtering process eliminates the reinfusion of malignant cells, and intraoperative autotransfusion has not shown the same mechanism for tumor cell promotion. 

These benefits also translate into improved outcomes and a decrease in morbidity rates for patients, allowing them to pursue their surgical options with confidence.

Benefits of Autologous Blood Transfusion for Hospitals

Hospitals benefit when patient experiences improve, but there are even more advantages for healthcare organizations and ambulatory surgery centers with the use of autotransfusion.

Autologous blood transfusion is more cost-effective than donor blood transfusion because it requires fewer steps. Not only does donor blood need to be collected and typed, it also has to be cross-typed, transported, and stored, demanding hours and manpower that can be spared with autotransfusion. In fact, it’s not uncommon for hospitals to spend up to $6 million per year trying to collect and allocate donor blood. Moreover, while donated blood loses viability after 42 days, autologous blood is often used immediately or used within hours. 

Increase Your Use of Autotransfusion with SpecialtyCare

For patients who are concerned about receiving donor blood, autotransfusion offers a perfect solution. Not only can they rest assured that they are not being exposed to any unknown substances, but they can enjoy the key benefits and lower risks provided through the use of cell saver technology. Autotransfusion is beneficial for patients across the board, improving outcomes in a cost-effective way for hospitals and surgery centers. If you’d like to increase the use of autotransfusion at your healthcare organization, SpecialtyCare can help!
We can place highly trained autotransfusion technicians on your team who can seamlessly integrate into your OR and emergency department. We follow all AABB standards for perioperative autologous blood collection and administration, and our team is equipped to prevent air embolisms and ensure proper filtration, reducing the risk of reinfusion of harmful microaggregates. Contact us today to find out what it would look like to start receiving autotransfusion support!