[Blood saving measures in heart surgery]. / Blutsparende Massnahmen in der Herzchirurgie.

Retransfusion of mediastinal shed blood after cardiopulmonary bypass has markedly reduced requirements of homologous blood or blood products. It also decreased the incidence of early reoperation for bleeding. The additional use of a cell saver has not further reduced blood requirements but it improved the patient's perioperative water balance.