Is it recommended to have Cell Saver during a mommy makeover?

The use of a Cell Saver, or autotransfusion system, during a mommy makeover or any surgery is a decision that should be made based on various factors, including the specifics of the procedures being performed, the surgeon's preference, and the patient's medical history. The Cell Saver is a device that collects and processes a patient's own blood lost during surgery, purifies it, and then returns it to the patient.

Here are some considerations regarding the use of a Cell Saver during a mommy makeover:

Extent of Surgery: The decision to use a Cell Saver may be influenced by the extent and duration of the surgeries involved in the mommy makeover. If the procedures are extensive and there's a potential for significant blood loss, the surgeon may consider the use of a Cell Saver.

Surgeon's Preference: Some surgeons routinely use a Cell Saver in certain procedures to minimize the need for allogenic (donor) blood transfusions and to optimize patient safety. Others may not find it necessary for every case.

Patient's Health: The patient's overall health and medical history play a role in determining the necessity and safety of using a Cell Saver. Conditions such as anemia or coagulation disorders may influence this decision.

Blood Conservation Strategies: In addition to a Cell Saver, surgeons may employ various blood conservation strategies, such as minimizing blood loss during surgery, using meticulous surgical techniques, and administering medications to promote clotting.

It's crucial to discuss the use of a Cell Saver with your surgeon during the consultation process. They will evaluate your specific case, discuss the potential benefits and risks, and make recommendations based on your individual needs and the complexity of the planned procedures. Always ensure open communication with your surgical team to address any concerns and make informed decisions about your care.

A unit of blood is roughly 300cc or mL. One point of your hemoglobin is 1 unit of blood. If you are healthy, the indication for transfusion would be a hemoglobin of 7. I would say for a mommy makeover a blood loss of 200-250mL is on the bigger end and a board certified plastic surgeon would not be advocating for a cell saver. Hope that provides you with some insight. Best of luck!

Hi Fantastic695676,
Most procedures that go into "mommy makeover", including breast lifts, breast augmentation, tummy tucks, and liposuction, have a fairly low expectation of blood loss.
I have never planned to use a CellSaver in cosmetic surgery, largely because the expectation of blood loss is so low that there wouldn't be much to save!
Best of luck with your procedure.
Best,Christopher Pannucci MDBoard Certified Plastic SurgeonPlastic Surgery NorthwestSpokane, Washington

Cell Saver filters your own blood so that it can be given back to you if your blood counts get too low. This would be considered rather extreme for a cosmetic surgery. In general, for Mommy Makeover procedures, blood loss should not be an issue. If there is a concern about significant blood loss, all measures should be taken to maximize your hemoglobin levels. this may including iron supplementation among other things. If you are a Jehovah's Witness or otherwise cannot receive blood products, you may want to consider staging these procedures for safety reasons.

Hello @Fantastic695676, thank you for your question. It is best to ask the doctor performing the surgery and follow their recommendations. Personally I do not perform surgery if hemoglobin if below 12 in my practice, so a cell saver is of no use. For more information and recommendations, it is prudent to consult with one or several board certified plastic surgeons. Best wishes! Alan Gonzalez MD, FACS.

Hi Fantastic,

The important question here is why is your hemoglobin 11? Has anyone performed a work up of why you are anemic? I have never used a Cell Saver but 95% of my patients have a good hemoglobin to start. There are medications that can slow down bleeding during any surgery, so perhaps you can discuss this with your surgeon. Typically one does not lose a lot of blood during a MM, so perhaps you need to talk it over with your surgeon or get another opinion.
Best,

Dr. Christine Rodgers

The purpose for a cell saver system is when surgery ( primarily cardiac surgery where there is anticipated significant blood loss) is performed where there is anticipated significant blood loss the blood loss can be recycled to an extent. This is not without its own risk and complications( there are possible complications from cell saver usage, including compromising the patient's blood clotting efficiency, overloading the patient with too much fluid volume, causing an infection (possible anytime any fluid is transfused), accidental air injection during the transfusion, embolism). I have only seen a few doctors try to recommend this in their practice. Most of the time it was to up charge the patient and obtain extra revenue. Here is the problem if the doctor really believes it’s needed the first thing you should ask yourself as the patient is since this is not common at all then why is your doctor having more blood loss than other surgeons to the point that he feels it’s needed?? . I’m sure if his medical board reviewed this practice for elective surgery it would raise significant questions as to why this is being performed in an office setting and why is so much being done that there would be the anticipated amount of blood loss to justify using this device. Lawyers would have a field day on this surgeon. Poor poor clinical judgment. I would run away and seek multiple other opinions.

Dear Fantastic695676,
every plastic surgeon has his own preoperative protocol which he recommends to his patients. I would suggest you to discuss this with your plastic surgeon.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

The use of Cell Savers can be quite helpful especially when doing elective procedures on women who are anemic.

I think that it is important that you are in the safest position preoperatively to undergo elective surgery. Sometimes this takes a delay to get some medical issues in check before proceeding with surgery. I don’t necessarily think that you would require a cell saver. These operations do not typically have a high volume of blood loss. It is important to be under the care of board-certified physicians so that they can appropriately assess your risks and the safety of the operation. I think it is safe for you to proceed. As long as all of your medical conditions are appropriately managed preoperatively. We are happy to help in anyway we can.