Spinal surgery for scoliosis has been performed on 76 children and teenagers in the years 1983 to 1989. 54 girls between 7 and 20 years of age (average : 14 and a half) and 22 boys between 9 and 18 years of age (average : 14) were operated on.
Blood salvage techniques such as differed autotransfusion hemodilution, controlled hypotension and the use of a cellsaver allowed a decrease in the amount of homologous blood transfusions, thereby reducing the risks of transmitted diseases such as hepatitis and AIDS. 48 % of the patients in this series received no homologous blood on the whole. Since the introduction of a complete program of blood salvaging techniques, homologous blood transfusions have been necessary in less than 28% of the patients.
Keywords: Blood salvage, spinal surgery.