Chasovskyi K. The use of autologous umbilical cord blood transfusion in neonates undergoing open heart surgery for complex congenital heart defects.

In this study, we analyzed our clinical experience performing neonatal open heart surgery using autologous umbilical cord blood transfusion. The safety and efficiency of AUCBT was assessed and compared with surgery with the use of donor blood transfusion. Between September 2009 and September 2012 123 neonates were enrolled. Of them 58 was diagnosed prenatally thereby umbilical cord bloods were collected and used during surgery in these patients. The use of autologous umbilical cord blood allowed us to avoid from donor blood transfusions in 80% of patients with prenatally diagnosed CHD. We assessed oxygen delivery and oxygen consumption in neonates who underwent open heart surgery using autologous umbilical cord blood with regard to oxygen carrying capacity of fetal hemoglobin. Also we studied the level of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL) ? 6, IL ? 8 and IL ? 10 in the blood serum of neonates operated on using autologous and donor blood. We found that the use of autologous umbilical cord blood transfusion during open heart surgery promotes anti-inflammatory effect and influenced positively on the balance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines. The use of donor blood increases length of mechanical ventilation (R = 0,28, p = 0,003) and inotropic support (R = 0,2, p = 0,044).