Relation between intraoperative salvaged blood transfusion and postoperative infection after cardiac surgery

In cardiac surgery, several studies have shown bacterial contamination rates of intraoperative salvaged blood ranging from 12.7 to 96.8%. We evaluated the relation between intraoperative salvaged blood transfusion produced by the Cell Saver 5 device (Haemonetics Corp., Braintree, MA, USA) and postoperative infection determined by bacteriological study and the postoperative clinical course after cardiac surgery. Seven cases of cardiac surgery were investigated by bacteriological study. Although bacteria were cultured from all salvaged blood, no bacteria were cultured from the patients' blood 24 hours after salvaged blood infusion. Another 26 patients who underwent cardiac surgery, were divided into groups: group CS (n = 15) with salvaged blood transfusion after operation and group N (n = 11) without salvaged blood transfusion, and were evaluated in relation to the postoperative clinical course. There were no statistically significant differences between group CS and group N in the data of WBC, CRP and maximum body temperature. One case of deep sternal wound infection and 2 cases of local wound infection were observed in group CS, but none in group N (p = 0.18). These complications were treated by primary closure without muscle flaps. We conclude that salvaged blood autotransfusion was not related to postoperative infections in cardiac surgery.