2017 ACVIM Forum Research Abstract Program

The objectives of our current study were to confirm whether a number of different transfusion methods (one syringe and one infusion pump brand, compared to gravity drip) resulted in premature loss of transfused cells, and to explore the timing of early RBC loss if it occurred. Eight healthy hound dogs were phlebotomized (54 ml of whole blood in CPDA-1), and blood was centrifuged, with supernatant plasma collected and stored. Remaining RBCs were incubated with NHS-biotin dissolved in 100% DMSO, and then washed in saline. The RBCs were then resuspended in the stored autologous plasma, and 5 mL was retained as a positive biotinylated control for each sample, with the remainder transferred to either a 100 mL dry blood bag (infusion pump and gravity drip) or 60 mL syringe (syringe pump). Assigned transfusion treatments were as follows: gravity drip (2 dogs), infusion pump (Heska Vet/ IV 2.2; 3 dogs), and syringe pump with an in-line filter (Medfusion 2001; Hemo-Nate Blood Filter; 3 dogs). Autologous whole blood transfusion was performed at a rate of 30 mL per hour. Blood samples were collected in sodium citrate anticoagulant at time 0 (pretransfusion, used as negative non-biotinylated control), and at hours 1, 6, 12, 18, and 24, and days 2, 3, and 4 post-transfusion. Samples were labeled with phycoerythrin-streptavidin, and percentage of biotinylated RBCs analyzed by flow cytometry with RBCs gated according to their forward and side light scatter at 10,000 gated events per sample.