Acute Isovolemic Haemodilution in Elective Prostatectomy: An Ethiopian Study

Background: Major surgical procedures often produce significant haemorrhage that may require transfusion of blood in order to maintain an adequate circulation. This study was aimed at comparing the effect of Acute Isovolemic Haemodilution (AIH) with use of Homologous Blood Transfusion during elective major surgery.
Methods: This was a study prospective undertaken in the sub regional hospital at ArbaMinch, Ethiopia over a 15 month period and involved 34 patients admitted for prostatectomy. The patients were divided into two groups, the control group who when indicated received homologous blood, and an AIH group who received some if not all of their own 'freshly drawn blood' which had been taken in the operation room immediately before surgery.
Results: There were no differences between the postoperative Haematocrit levels in the two groups, but there were less complications and a shorter hospital stay in the AIH group than in the control group.
Conclusion: This relatively small study showed that Acute Isovolemic Haemodilution is a safe technique, which should be used widely in Ethiopia and in other 'developing countries'. AIH avoids the risks of using homologous blood for transfusion.