Rethinking Normal Saline: Is It the Best Solution for Washing Salvaged Blood?
Gerard J. Myers, Cardiovascular Perfusionist and Legal Perfusion Expert Witness at Eastern Perfusion International, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“The most common solution for washing salvaged blood during autotransfusion is 0.9% Normal Saline. But normal saline is not that normal. It is cheaper than other more physiological solutions like Plasmalyte A, but is it the best solution to wash salvaged blood. In fact, if invented today, would it even pass FDA standards.
This article by Blumberg et al (Transfus Apher Sci, 2018)explains why the solution is not normal and suggests it not be used for washing red blood cells during autotransfusion.”
Title: 0.9% NaCl (Normal Saline) – Perhaps not so normal after all?
Authors: Neil Blumberg, Jill M. Cholette, Anthony P. Pietropaoli, Richard Phipps, Sherry L. Spinelli, Michael P. Eaton, Suzie A. Noronha, Jerard Seghatchian, Joanna M. Heal, Majed A. Refaai
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