Survival, function, and hemolysis of shed red blood cells processed as nonwashed blood and washed red blood cells.

This paper adds further evidence that intraoperatively salvaged blood is of high quality with regard to RBC function and viability. This is especially true for washed RBCs. The hemolysis and cell loss in unwashed blood might be underestimated because of the experimental setting―immediate collection and retransfusion of the blood and lack of contact with traumatized tissue or collagen.

– E. Hansen.