Which of the following is not an example of perioperative autologous blood recovery?

The rationale for identifying donor blood that is mixed with patient blood in the cell saver as not being an example of perioperative autologous blood recovery supports an understanding of what constitutes autologous blood recovery. Autologous blood recovery is the process of collecting and returning a patient's own blood during or after a surgical procedure. This practice minimizes the risks associated with transfusion-related complications as well as blood compatibility issues, allowing for optimal patient safety and outcomes.

In the other scenarios, blood salvage from the chest cavity, blood recovered from the aortic incision for cannulation, and blood recovered from the CPB circuit post-CPB all involve the collection of a patient’s own blood that would otherwise be lost during surgery. These processes are key examples of autologous blood recovery, as they utilize the patient’s own blood, which is the crux of the technique.

Conversely, donor blood, even when mixed with the patient's blood in a cell saver, does not qualify as autologous blood recovery because it introduces blood from an external source rather than reclaiming the patient’s own blood. Therefore, it does not adhere to the principles of patient-specific blood recovery that the process aims to uphold. This distinction is crucial in understanding the benefits of autolog