Intraoperative cell salvage with autologous transfusion in elective right or repeat hepatectomy: a propensity-score-matched case-control analysis.

Background: Liver resection may be associated with substantial blood loss, and cell saver use has been recommended for patients at high risk. We performed a study to compare the allogenic erythrocyte transfusion rate after liver resection between patients who had intraoperative cell salvage with a cell saver device versus patients who did not. Our hypothesis was that cell salvage with autologous transfusion would reduce the allogenic blood transfusion rate.