RESUMEN
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the use of Intraoperative Autotransfusion (IAT) as a second stage in the use of autologous blood to reduce the need of allogeneic transfusions. We reviewed the medical records of 41 pediatric patients who underwent spinal fusion procedures from September 1991, to August 1993. Our experience with IAT started in August 1992. The group of patients was divided into those who only received preoperative donation autologous blood (53.6 percent) and those who received preoperative donation autologous blood and IAT(46.4 percent). The use of preoperative autologous blood donation in combination with IAT has proven to be a safe method of operative blood loss replacement in pediatric age patients. Exclusive use of autologous blood can reduce or eliminate transfusion reactions and exposure to transfusion transmitted agents and helps to increase the blood reserve at blood banks