C.A.T.S
Autologous blood transfusion with C.A.T.S
Surgery normally involves blood. If too much blood is lost, doctors must perform a transfusion. With the aid of a blood processing device developed by Fresenius Kabi scientists known as C.A.T.S (Continuous AutoTransfusion System), doctors can primarily reinfuse the patient’s blood lost during an operation. This reduces the dependency on donor blood and lowers or even eliminates the related risk of infection. Blood must be carefully processed for an autologous blood transfusion to be successful. C.A.T.S is reliable and easy to operate, because doctors and nurses already have their hands full during surgery.
Cleanse red blood cells
Immediately after an operation begins, the surgical team can drain off blood lost during the procedure, process it with C.A.T.S and return it to the patient. The core of the system is a special centrifugal chamber that separates red blood cells from other blood components and washes them with a saline solution. The cleansed and concentrated red blood cells are then returned to the patient.
While cleansing the blood cells, C.A.T.S removes not only impurities but also activated coagulation factors and other substances that are released by destroyed or damaged blood cells. The coagulation factors initiate blood clotting to protect against blood loss from injury, but are also undesirable when reusing blood.
Effectively removing fat droplets
C.A.T.S is also the only device that completely removes fat droplets. The droplets are released from fatty tissue or bone marrow, especially during orthopedic operations, and are drained off with the lost blood. These fat droplets must be completely removed before blood can be returned to a patient; otherwise they can block tiny blood vessels and cause severe organ damages.
Because C.A.T.S works well with even very small quantities of blood, the system is also used in pediatric surgery.
Learn more about the History of C.A.T.S.
For more information, please visit the homepage of Fresenius Kabi