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Nine normal bone marrow donors aged 7-166 months (median 69 months) received autologous red cells which had been removed from their marrow harvest after collection. The median volume of marrow removed from the donors was 18.6 ml/kg which was equivalent to a median blood volume loss of 23.3%. Three infant donors were transfused with autologous red blood cells intraoperatively. These cells had been salvaged from the initial marrow aliquot and were transfused while bone marrow harvesting continued. No donors required homologous blood transfusion. This technique is useful for marrow donors in the pediatric age group when preharvest autologous blood collection is not feasible or available.

A simple and reliable technique for removal of ABO incompatible marrow red cells is described. This method requires a blood cell processor and third party red cells are used as a shelf. Using this technique, nine children age 0.5-11.5 years received allogeneic bone marrow transplantation from ABO incompatible donors. A median of 4.8 ml of incompatible red cells were transfused. There was no evidence of a hemolytic transfusion reaction in any patient. A median of 75% of nucleated marrow cells were recovered and used for transplantation. Engraftment occurred at the same time as with ABO compatible transplants. Autologous marrow red cells were reinfused into four young donors. This 'shelf' technique for red cell depletion is an acceptable method for processing small volume, ABO incompatible marrow harvests from pediatric donors.