Use of a human polymerized hemoglobin solution as an adjunct to acute normovolemic hemodilution during complex abdominal aortic reconstruction.

Oxygen-carrying hemoglobin (Hb) solutions are under intense investigation as an alternative to allogeneic red cell transfusion during surgery, with or without acute normovolemic hemodilution. We present a case in which an investigational Hb solution was used as an adjunct to acute normovolemic hemodilution, and as a replacement for surgical blood loss in a patient undergoing complex aortic reconstruction with a large blood loss.