Instruction on Autologous Blood Transfusion
As we have explained in the “Instruction on Blood Transfusion Therapy”, side-effects of blood
transfusion occurs when blood is transfused from others.
To avoid the risks, ‘Autologous Blood Transfusion’ is the best way.
There are “Pre-deposited”, “Preoperative dilution-operated” and “Intraoperative, postoperative
recovery” Autologous Blood Transfusion, and would be made a choices in response to the predicted
amount of bleeding, necessary amount of preserved blood and preoperative standby time.
Pre-Operative Autologous Blood Transfusion
It is the most general way of autologous blood transfusion, and if there is enough time before the
scheduled surgery and when the doctor indicates that the general status is nearly good, the blood of
the patient will be collected, preserved, and used during surgery.

・Blood preservation is set based upon the average volume of blood transfusion, or the
average amount of blood loss then the amount of blood to be collected will be decided with
consideration to the patient’s current weight, Erythrocyte volume or the general status.
200ml to 400ml of blood will be collected, and in principle, more than one week interval needs to
be opened and blood will be collected from one to a few times.
・ Symptoms such as discomfort, nausea, cold sweat, etc. may rarely occur with the collection of
blood. This can be recovered by resting for 20 to 30 minutes
To prevent side effects, we might have to do a drip infusion after the blood collection.
・ To prevent anemia and fosterage blood-forming, iron pills and hematopoiesis hormones
(Erythropoietin) may be used, if the large amounts of autologous blood will be needed
・ We may have to use blood derivatives provided by the Japanese Red Cross Society, if the
bleeding is far more severe than predicted, and when the patients need more blood than the
preserved autologous blood.
・ There are rare cases which you will not be able to use the autologous blood by tearing of blood
bag, defect in temperature control and antisepsis of the blood drawing region during the stages
of preservation or adjustment.
・After a certain period, if there is no need for preserved autologous blood, we would dispose it.
Pre-operative Blood Infusion
This is the method that blood of the patient is extracted after begin dosed with anesthesia in the
surgery, and instead, dextran is supplied in order to decrease the loss of red blood cells by the bleed.
There is a limit in the amount of blood preserved, and the circular dynamics during the surgery
needs to be fully controlled.
Intra-operative・Postoperative Cell Salvage
Intra-operative blood transfusion is a procedure of collecting the blood which bled during surgery,
and postoperative blood transfusion is a procedure of transfusing using the blood collected from the
drain-blood after the surgery.
There are rare risks of bacterial contamination of collected blood and interfusion of tumor cells and
extraneous material.
■Signature or Seal to the Agreement Form
Synopsis of Autologous blood transfusion has been explained. Please contact the attending doctor if
you have any questions. Once you have got full understanding and consent, please sign or place a
seal on the separate sheet “Blood Transfusion Therapy Agreement”