Reducing blood transfusion requirements in preterm infants by a new device: a pilot study.

Objective: To test a new device designed to salvage red blood cells (RBCs) from blood samples drawn from preterm infants, with the intent of decreasing blood loss and lowering the requirements for RBC transfusions.

Design: A case-controlled pilot study was conducted in two Israeli neonatal intensive care units in large municipal hospitals. Twenty low-birthweight preterm infants were randomly and equally divided into the ErythroSave group or a control group.