Table 3

Advantages and disadvantages of autologous blood donation

Advantages

Disadvantages


Prevents transfusion-transmitted disease

Risk of bacterial contamination or volume overload remains

Prevents red cell alloimmunization

Does not eliminate risk of administrative error with ABO incompatibility

Supplements the blood supply

More costly than allogeneic blood

Provides compatible blood for patients with alloantibodies

Wastage of blood not transfused

Prevents some adverse transfusion reactions

Causes perioperative anemia and increased likelihood of transfusion


Data from Goodnough and coworkers [2].

Goodnough Critical Care 2004 8(Suppl 2):S49   doi:10.1186/cc2408