The Impact of Storage Techniques on Platelets Number and Function After Acute Normovolemic Hemodilution (ANH)

Acute normovolemic hemodilution (ANH) is part of our current protocol to decrease post-operative bleeding and homologous blood transfusions post cardiopulmonary bypass. Blood is drawn from our patients pre-bypass after obtaining the arterial line and administered back to the patient after separation from cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and reversal of heparin with protamine. In our practice we noticed some variability in the impact of ANH on postoperative bleeding; with some patients appearing to show more hemostasis after separation from CPB than others. This is a prospective study to find out if there is an optimal time period that guarantees the largest amount of functioning platelets and what is the best practice for drawing and storing of ANH to guarantee the largest amount of functioning platelets.