Withdrawal and reinjection/transfusion of the patient's own blood; commonly the patient's own blood is collected on several occasions over time to be reinfused during an operative procedure in which substantial blood loss is anticipated. Cf.:autoinfusion.
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au·to·trans·fu·sion -tran(t)s-'fyü-zhən n return of autologous blood to the patient's own circulatory system
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n.
reintroduction into a patient of his or her own blood. This may be blood previously drawn and stored in the blood bank or blood that has been lost from the patient's circulation during surgical operation. The blood is collected by suction during the operation, filtered to remove bubbles and small blood clots, and returned into one of the patient's veins through a drip.
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au·to·trans·fu·sion (aw″to-trans-fuґzhən) reinfusion of blood or blood products derived from the patient's own circulation. Called also autologous transfusion.Medical dictionary. 2011.