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J M Hauer

Publications and source records attributed to J M Hauer.

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Use of the Heimlich valve in a compact autotransfusion device.

A compact device which evacuates blood from a hemothorax and facilitates rapid autotransfusion was evaluated in dogs. Experimental hemothorax was established surgically by incising the internal mammary artery through a thoracotomy with the animals under general anesthesia. Postoperatively the blood was drained by one of two methods. In the Heimlich valve group (n = 5), blood was drained by a chest tube through a one-way flutter valve into a collapsible plastic bag. In the Sorenson group (n = 5), blood was drained by a chest tube into the Sorenson Autotransfusion System. Blood from these two groups was then autotransfused. In the control group (n = 5), the drained blood was not autotransfused. Results showed no statistical difference between the two autotransfusion groups in the volume of blood collected, circulating fibrinogen levels, platelet counts, stroma-free hemoglobin levels, prothrombin time, or 51Cr-labeled RBC survival. There was a significant drop in the circulating platelet count, which returned to normal by 24 hours, in both groups of dogs which were autotransfused. We conclude that autotransfusion of blood collected by a compact device which utilizes a Heimlich valve and requires no suction is similar to using the Sorenson Autotransfusion System. It may be safe to use the Heimlich valve to collect blood for autotransfusion in clinical situations, where its qualities of simplicity, portability and a minimum requirement for storage space are desirable.

Animals

A comparison of preclotting techniques for prosthetic aortic replacement.

Bleeding through graft interstices after replacement of the ascending aorta can occur despite the use of low-porosity, woven graft material and standard preclotting methods. To avoid this complication, improved techniques of preclotting by autoclaving the graft after immersion to either blood or plasma have been developed. We used a quantitative method to compare graft permeability in vitro. The control leak rate (LR) was 111 +/- 7 ml/cm2/min. Standard preclotting reduced this to 23 +/- 4 ml/cm2/min (p less than 0.01). Grafts were autoclaved after immersion in heparinized whole blood (LR 3 +/- 4 ml/cm2/min), 5% albumin (LR 5 +/- 2 ml/cm2/min), plasma alone (LR 4 +/- 0.3 ml/cm2/min) and plasma with thrombin added (LR 2 +/- 0.2 ml/cm2/min). All autoclaved grafts were less permeable than those preclotted by the standard method (p less than 0.01). Scanning electron microscopy showed that the interstices of autoclaved grafts were more uniformly filled than those of grafts prepared by standard preclotting. Perfusion with fibrinolysins significantly (p less than 0.01) increased leak rates of grafts with standard preclotting but did not affect autoclaved grafts. We conclude that autoclaving grafts after immersion in blood, plasma or albumin decreases graft permeability and that autoclaved grafts are resistant to fibrinolysis.

Aorta

Autotransfusions.

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Blood Transfusion, Autologous

Autotransfusion of shed mediastinal blood after cardiac surgery: a prospective study.

In a randomized prospective study of patients having cardiac surgery, autologous blood collected from mediastinal tubes was autotransfused preferentially in 63 patients (ATS), whereas 51 patients received bank blood for transfusion (control). Comparison of the two groups showed no significant difference in regard to age, sex, operations performed, or total postoperative bleeding (ATS 813 +/- 121 ml. per square meter versus control 711 +/- 93 ml. per square meter; N.S.) Although mean postoperative blood replacement was similar in the two groups (ATS 4.3 +/- 0.6 units per patient versus control 4.8 +/- 0.6 units per patient), requirements for transfusion of stored bank blood were reduced by 50 percent in the ATS group (ATS 2.4 +/- 0.3 units per patient versus control 4.8 +/- 0.6 units per patient; p less than 0.005). Coagulation studies demonstrated that this blood was defibrinogenated; yet it contains significantly more platelets and clotting factors than does bank blood. In this study, autotransfusion of shed mediastinal blood was safe and simple. It significantly reduced bank blood requirements and resulted in substantial financial savings for the patients and the hospital.

Blood Cell Count