A transfusion of your own blood avoids the risks of infectious viruses (like HIV and hepatitis). PAD blood transfusions also avoid the risks of allergic and immune reactions (caused by having blood from another person in your body).
The National Advisory Committee on Blood and Blood Products recommends that PAD (perioperative autologous blood donation) not be routinely performed as a strategy to reduce allogeneic blood transfusions. PAD should be restricted to patients undergoing surgery with a high risk of transfusion and antibodies to high frequency antigens that make it very difficult to support their transfusion requirements with the regular allogeneic blood supply. All patients being considered for PAD should be discussed with the local or regional transfusion medicine physician. For patients meeting the exceptional criteria for PAD, it is critical that all PAD units are collected 3-4 weeks prior to surgery to minimize the risks of donation induced perioperative anemia. In these patients, perioperative iron replacement should also be given.
