Efficacy of Acute Normovolemic Hemodilution in the Setting of Chronic Anemia

A theoretical model for calculating hematocrit as it relates to blood volume loss was used to test the theoretical impact of acute normovolemic hemodilution prior to surgery in a chronically anemic patient. The technique of hemodilution is intended to decrease red blood cell loss that occurs as the result of surgical intervention, however its impact may be decreased in an anemic patient. An equation to find change in hematocrit resulting from blood volume loss was elucidated via integration. This equation was then applied to a theoretical patient with 5 L of blood and a hematocrit of 32 percent which revealed a net decrease in red blood cell loss of 90 mL with the use of hemodilution as compared to without. Such a small decrease in net red blood cell loss may not be sufficient benefit for the financial and time costs that such a procedure would cost