Are cell salvage and autologous blood transfusion safe in endonasal surgery?
OBJECTIVE: Endoscopic transnasal approaches to the skull base and intracranial disease are an emerging subspecialty. The limits of this approach are often dictated by exposure and blood loss. Cell salvage techniques are widely used in other surgical fields. However, in otolaryngology, questions remain regarding its safety because work is performed in a contaminated field. In this literature review, we present the evidence for perioperative cell saver blood transfusion in potentially contaminated fields and the need for further investigation of its use in endonasal surgery. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE and Evidence Based Medicine Reviews databases were searched for relevant articles. REVIEW METHODS: All English articles discussing autologous blood transfusion in endonasal surgery were reviewed. RESULTS: Despite a wide search pattern, no articles that discuss this topic were found in the English literature. Therefore, we went on to present data on the general use of cell saver blood in contamin
