Background: Either a roller pump or a centrifugal pump can be used in the extracorporeal circuit during surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. In this study, we assessed the effect of these two pumps on the 24-h post-transfusion survival values of autologous red blood cells (RBC).
Study design and methods: Fourteen male patients subjected to extracorporeal bypass procedures were studied. In seven patients, the autologous red cells were collected following the cardiopulmonary bypass procedure using the roller pump, and in seven patients, autologous red cells were collected following the cardiopulmonary procedure using the centrifugal pump. The 24-h post-transfusion survival values of the autologous RBC were measured using the 51 disodium chromate/99m technetium double isotope procedure. The effects of the extracorporeal bypass procedures using the roller pump and the centrifugal pump were also assessed by the measurements of hematocrit, platelet count, plasma hemoglobin, and serum lactate dehydrogenase levels.
Results: The 51 disodium chromate 24-h post-transfusion survival values of the autologous RBC were similar whether the roller pump or the centrifugal pump was used in the extracorporeal circulation, as were the hematocrit, platelet count, plasma hemoglobin and serum lactate dehydrogenase levels.
Conclusion: The 24-h post-transfusion survival values of autologous RBC, measured by the 51 disodium chromate/99m technetium double isotope procedure, were not significantly different, whether the roller pump or the centrifugal pump was used in the extracorporeal circuit using membrane oxygenators during cardiopulmonary surgical procedures.