Systematic Review of Intraoperative Blood Salvage in the Surgical Management of Craniosynostosis

Abstract

Introduction/Background: The purpose of this systematic review is to assess the literature regarding complications associated with intraoperative blood salvage (IOBS) in the setting of surgical management of craniosynostosis. Methods: A systematic review was performed using PubMed/MEDLINE by 2 independent reviewers which included any primary literature investigating the use of IOBS in the surgical management of craniosynostosis. Results: The literature search resulted in 354 initial articles. After removing duplicates and articles not written in English, 330 articles underwent title review, resulting in 25 papers for abstract review. A total of 24 manuscripts were reviewed and 9 were deemed appropriate for inclusion of this systematic review. Two of the nine articles mentioned complications as a secondary objective. Conclusion: There is a paucity of current literature measuring the complications of IOBS in craniosynostosis patients undergoing cranial vault reconstruction.