Tehran University Medical Journal

Preoperative autologous blood donation is commonly used to reduce exposure to homologous blood transfusions among patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of autologous transfusion on patients' hematocryte value, intra and postoperative blood loss, hospitalization time, the development of infective complications and other factors.

Materials and Methods: Between June 2001 to April 2002, 208 patients were underwent cardiac surgery in cardiac surgery ward in Imam Khomeini Medical Center. One or more blood units donate from 104 Patients before cardiopulmonary bypass and heparin injection, and transfused to them after CPB and Protamin injection (autologous Group, group 1). 104 patients underwent cardiac surgery routinely (control group, group 2).
Results: Mean of age was 55.9±8.6 in group 1 and 56.6±9.3 in group 2 (P=NS). 73 male and 31 females were in group 1 and 79 males and 25 females were in group 2 (P=NS). Smoking, familial history, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, renal failure, hypertension, stroke, and history of myocardial infarction was similar in two groups.
Severity of angina, urgency operation, number vessels disease, duration of cardiopulmonary bypass, duration of aortic cross clamp time, use of internal thoracic artery graft, and number of grafts was similar in both groups. Mean of bleeding post operation was 548 cc in group 1 and 803 cc in-group 2 (P=0.003). Bleeding that need to operation was 1.8% in group 1 and 8.6% in group 2 (P=0.002). Wound infection, mediastinitis, renal failure, ventilatory prolonged, stroke, need to Intra-aortic Balloon Pump (IABP), intraoperative bleeding, and hospital stay was similar in both groups. Mean of extubationt time was 10.2 hours in group 1 and 14.8 hours in group 2 (P=0.001).
Conclusion: Preoperative and intra-operative donations are safe and continue to contribute uniquely to blood conservation, providing important options in comprehensive blood conservation programs in current pediatric open-heart surgery.

Background: Cartilage grafting is used in rhinoplasty and reconstructive surgeries. Autologous rib and nasal septum cartilage (auto graft) is the preferred source of graft material in rhinoplasty, however, homologous cartilage (allograft) has been extensively used to correct the nasal framework in nasal deformities. Autologous cartilage graft usage is restricted with complication of operation and limiting availability of tissue for extensive deformities. Alternatively, preserved costal cartilage allograft represents a readily available and easily contoured material. The current study was a formal systematic review of complications associated with autologous versus homologous cartilage grafting in rhinoplasty patients.

Methods: In this cohort retrospective study, a total of 124 patients undergone primary or revision rhinoplasty using homologous or autologus grafts with postoperative follow-up ranging from 6 to 60 months were studied. The types of grafts and complications related to the grafts were evaluated. This included evaluation for warping, infection, resorption, mobility and fracture.

Results: The total complications related to the cartilage grafts were 7 cases, which included 1 warped in auto graft group, three cases of graft displacement (two in allograft group and one in auto graft group) and three fractures in allograft group. No infection and resorption was recorded. Complication rate (confidence interval 0.95) in autologous and homologous group were 1.25(0.4-3.88) and 2.08(0.78-5.55) in 1000 months follow up. There was no statistically significant difference between autologous and homologous group complications. Onset of complication in autologous and homologous group were 51.23(49.27-53.19) and 58.7(54.51-62.91) month respectively (P=0.81).

Conclusion: The allograft cartilage has the advantage of avoiding donor-site scar. Moreover, it provides the same benefits as autologous costal cartilage with comparable complication rate. Therefore, it can be a reliable alternative material for rhinoplasty surgeries. A longer follow-up may be necessary to confirm the structural stability of the allograft cartilage grafts.