Salvage autotransfusion versus homologous blood transfusion for ruptured ectopic pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the clinical outcomes of simple salvage autotransfusion and homologous blood transfusion in the management of ruptured ectopic pregnancies.

METHODS

Standard statistical analysis was done and relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated for 112 women randomized to salvage autotransfusion or donor blood transfusion following ruptured ectopic pregnancy.

RESULTS

More women in the autologous group received more than 1000 mL of blood (RR, 6.41; 95% CI, 2.75-15.24) and had a hematocrit greater than 0.27 at discharge (RR, 3.62; 95% CI, 1.41-6.67). There were no significant differences in the incidence of postoperative fever (RR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.43-2.01), postoperative wound infection (RR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.17-3.19) or duration of hospital stay longer than 7 days (RR, 1.3; 95% CI, 0.44-4.31).

CONCLUSION

In resource-poor countries, women with a ruptured ectopic pregnancy receive more blood with salvage autotransfusion.