Survival of autotransfused red cells51Cr studies in 10 knee arthroplasty patients

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Abstract
We determined the long-term survival of red btood cells collected postoperatively from the surgical drains, filtered and autotransfused with the Consta-vacTM Blood Conservation System. 10 patients with knee arthrosis were treated with cementless total knee arthroplasty and postoperatively connected to the autotransfusion system. Shed blood was collected for 6 hours postoperatively and then reinfused. Before reinfusion, a fraction of the blood shed was radiolabeled with chromium-51 (51Cr). for a postoperative minimum period of 40 days the activity of 51Cr was measured in frequent venous blood samples. the time from 100% to 50% activity of the isotope (T50Cr) was 21 days, equal to that reported for banked autologous blood.