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Cell salvage explained

Cell salvage: using your own blood

Cell salvage collects blood you lose during an operation, cleans it and gives it back to you. Here's how it works, when it's used and what the research says.

Cited sources Sources checked Nov 7, 2026 Not yet clinician-reviewed

How it works

One NHS hospital's patient leaflet explains it in simple steps: blood lost during surgery is collected from the patient, passed through a filter, washed with saline and then returned to the same patient. The process can take 15 to 30 minutes, sometimes longer, and follows the same safety rules as a donated blood transfusion.[1]

  1. Collect. Blood from the surgical site is suctioned into the machine.
  2. Filter and wash. It goes through a filter and is washed with saline to remove unwanted particles.
  3. Return. Your own red cells are given back to you.[1]

The technique is called intra-operative cell salvage (IOCS).[1]

When it's used

The same leaflet lists situations where it may be used: procedures with a higher risk of blood loss, patients with rare blood groups, patients who decline donated blood for religious or other reasons, and alongside donated blood.[1] Englewood Health lists blood salvage among its transfusion-free techniques.[2]

It isn't suitable for every operation. The leaflet gives bowel or gastric surgery as examples where it may not be used, and says the surgeon and anesthesiologist decide, also considering whether the machine and an operator are available.[1]

What the research says

A 2023 Cochrane review concluded that in some types of planned surgery, cell salvage may reduce the need for and the amount of donated blood, with no difference in adverse events compared with not using it. Other types of surgery showed no benefit, and the reviewers called for more research.[3]

If you have views on how your own blood is handled, ask the team to explain exactly how the equipment will be set up for your operation, and record your decision in advance. The NHS leaflet notes that hospital chaplaincy or pastoral teams can support people making this decision.[1]

Other ways to reduce blood loss

Tranexamic acid, minimally invasive techniques and more.

See the alternatives
Questions

Common questions

Is the blood from cell salvage my own?

Yes. Cell salvage returns blood to the same patient it was collected from.[1]

Can cell salvage be used in every surgery?

No. Only some operations are suitable; bowel or gastric surgery are examples where it may not be used. Your surgeon and anesthesiologist decide.[1]

Does cell salvage reduce the need for donated blood?

In some types of planned surgery it may, according to a 2023 Cochrane review; in others no benefit was found.[3]

Talk to your care team. This page summarizes published research and patient information for general education. It is not medical advice and has not yet been reviewed by a clinician. Your surgeon, anesthesiologist or doctor can tell you what applies to you.
Sources

References

All sources read on Nov 7, 2026. Links go to the publisher, PubMed abstract or official page.

  1. West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. Intra-operative cell salvage: patient information (review date January 2028). www.westhertshospitals.nhs.uk/patients-and-visitors/patient-information-leaflets/intra-operative-cell-salvage
  2. Englewood Health. Bloodless Medicine and Surgery (program page). www.englewoodhealth.org/service/bloodless-medicine-and-surgery
  3. Cochrane review. Cell salvage for minimising perioperative allogeneic blood transfusion in adults undergoing elective surgery. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2023;9:CD001888. PMID 37681564. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37681564