1. Non‐analysable data for all outcomes.
| Study | Cell salvage (intervention) | No cell salvage (control) | Time point | Notes |
| Cancer | ||||
| Volume (units) | ||||
| Jacobi 1997 | Total 10 units (n = 12) | Total 23 units (n = 12) | 5 days | No spread of data, unclear how many were transfused |
| Hospital LOS (days) | ||||
| Jacobi 1997 | Median 16 days (n = 12) | Median 16.5 days (n = 12) | No spread of data | |
| Cardiovascular (vascular) | ||||
| Volume (units) | ||||
| Mercer 2004 | Median 1 unit, IQR 0‐3 (n = 40) | Median 3 units, IQR 1‐5 (n = 41) | Intraoperative and postoperative | |
| Spark 1997 | Total 11 units across 3 people (Mean: 0.48 units per person transfused; median: 3.29 units) | Total 68 units across 26 people (mean: 2.62 units per person transfused; median: 2.96 units) | In‐hospital | Unable to calculate SDs due to "2+" category not specifying actual units, mean calculated from total units and number transfused. Median units reported "per case" |
| Thompson 1990 | Intraoperative: median 0 IQR 0‐1 units; postoperative: median 0 IQR 0‐2 units (n = 33) | Intraoperative: median 4 IQR 2‐4 units; postoperative: median 1 IQR 0‐2 units (n = 34) | Intraoperative and postoperative (ICU) | |
| Blood loss (mL) | ||||
| Mercer 2004 | Median 1950 mL, IQR 775‐2850 (n = 40) | Median 1270 mL, IQR 775‐2850 (n = 41) | NR | |
| Spark 1997 | Median 1800 mL, IQR 500‐2800 (n = 23) | Median 1500 mL, IQR 500‐3045 (n = 27) | in‐hospital | |
| Hospital LOS (days) | ||||
| Kelley‐Patteson 1993 | "Average" stay 8.5 days (n = 18) | "Average" stay 8.9 days (n = 18) | No spread of data | |
| Mercer 2004 | Median 12 days, IQR 8‐19 (n = 40) | Median 13 days, IQR 10‐19 (n = 41) | ||
| Spark 1997 | Median 9 days, IQR 7‐13 (n = 23) | Median 12 days, IQR 7‐19 (n = 27) | ||
| Thompson 1990 | Median 8 days | Median 9 days | No spread of data reported | |
| Cardiovascular (no bypass) | ||||
| Volume (units) | ||||
| Damgaard 2006 | Median 1 unit, IQR 0‐2, range 0‐13 (n = 30) | Median 2 units, IQR 0‐5, Range 0‐27 (n = 29) | 24 hours | |
| Blood loss (mL) | ||||
| Damgaard 2006 | Median 655 mL, IQR 508‐818 (n = 30) | Median 610 mL, IQR 450‐928 (n = 30) | intraoperative | |
| Hospital LOS (days) | ||||
| Damgaard 2006 | Median 7 days, IQR 6‐8 (n = 30) | Median 7 days, IQR 6‐9 (n = 29) | ||
| Murphy 2005 | Median 6 days, range 5‐8.3 (n = 30) | Median 6 days, Range 5‐8 (n = 31) | ||
| Cardiovascular (with bypass) | ||||
| Volume (units) | ||||
| Adan 1988 | Mean 550 mL range 0‐1900 mL (n = 25) | Mean 1060 mL range 0‐2000 mL (n = 25) | 24 hours postoperative | Range only, no SD |
| Klein 2008 | Total 79 units across 31 people (mean: 2.55 units) | Total 100 units across 33 people (mean: 3.03 units) | Intraoperative and postoperative | No spread of data |
| Marberg 2010 | Median 0 units, range 0‐1 (n = 39) | Median 0 units, range 0‐1 (n = 38) | ||
| Schmidt 1996 | Total 26 units across 15 people (mean 2.17 units, no SD) | Total 78 units across 31 people (mean 2.52, no SD) | NR | Mean calculated from total units reported, and number of people receiving transfusions |
| Scrascia 2012 | Total 23 units across 6 people | Total 14 units across 5 people | Intra‐ and postoperatively (24 hours) | No SD, no spread of data |
| Thurer 1979 | Mean 265 mL packed red cells, no SD, per patient | Mean 200 mL packed red cells, no SD, per patient | In‐hospital | Unclear if mean per patient is per patient that received a transfusion, or per patient randomised |
| Ward 1993 | Range 250‐1500 mL (n = 6) | Range 250‐750 mL (n = 6) | NR | No average reported |
| Blood loss (mL) | ||||
| Adan 1988 | Mean 821 mL range 330‐1790 mL (n = 25) | Mean 746 mL range 185‐1420 mL (n = 25) | 24 hrs postoperative | Range only, no SD |
| Gäbel 2013a | Median 520 range 300‐1470 mL (n = 15 | Median 390 range 250‐660 mL (n = 15) | Postoperative | |
| Klein 2008 | Median 400 mL, IQR 321 (n = 102) | Median 375 mL, IQR 238 (n = 111) | Intraoperative and postoperative | |
| Schmidt 1996 | Median 760 mL, range 295‐2065 (n = 53) | Median 820 mL, range 300‐2670 (n = 56) | ||
| Thurer 1979 | Mean 1403 mL, no SD (n = 54) | Mean 1258 mL, no SD (n = 59) | Postoperative only | |
| Unsworth 1996 | Uncoated: median 853 mL, IQR 595‐1348 (n = 36); coated: median 770 mL, IQR 615‐1000 (n = 35) | Median 898 mL, IQR 638‐1195 (n = 34) | 20 hours | |
| Zhao 2003 | Median 660 +/‐300 mL, range 80‐1230 mL, n = 30 | Median 655 +/‐ 280 mL; range 110‐1280 (n = 30) | Unclear whether +/‐ is SD, IQR, 95%CI, etc. N is assumed | |
| Hospital LOS (days) | ||||
| Gäbel 2013a | Median 7 range 3‐56 hours (n = 15) | Median 6 range 3‐29 hours (n = 15) | ICU stay only | |
| Klein 2008 | Median 7 days, IQR 5 (n = 102) | Median 7 days, IQR 3 (n = 111) | ||
| Obstetrics | ||||
| Hospital LOS (days) | ||||
| Khan 2017 (SALVO) | Median 2.08 days IQR 1 (n = 655) | Median 2.1 days IQR 1.21 (n = 665) | ||
| Orthopaedic (hip) | ||||
| Transfusions | ||||
| Thomassen 2012 | 14% of 106 patients (14.84 people) | 14% of 110 patients (15.4 people) | discharge | ITT analysis; percentages reported ‐ do not equate to whole people, unable to confidently use data |
| Volume (units) | ||||
| Ayers 1995 | Total 9 units across 5 people (1 primary (1%) and 4 revision (11%) surgery) | Total 67 units across 29 people (15 primary (17%) and 14 revision (35%) surgeries) | 48 hours postoperative | All patients who underwent revision surgery also received intraoperative cell salvage, whereas those undergoing primary surgery did not. Unable to extract data for primary surgeries only for this outcome |
| Cheung 2010 | Mean 0.34 (total 18 units across 53 people) | Mean 0.47 (total 47 units across 100 people) | NR | Number of units reported as total per group only, no spread of data |
| Lorentz 1991 | Median 125 mL, range 0‐1000 (n = 16) | Median 500 mL, range 0‐1500 (n = 15) | Intraoperative and postoperative | |
| Menges 1992 | Total 13 units across 8 people (mean: 1.625 units transfused; 0.9 units randomised) | 28 units across 12 people (mean: 2.3 units randomised and transfused) | "Observation period" | No spread of data reported |
| Rollo 1995 | Group 1: 1 unit total (n = 1 transfused: mean 1, SD 0); group 2: 12 units total (n = 4 transfused: mean 3, no SD) | Group 3: 0 units total (n = 0 transfused: mean 0 SD 0) | NR | |
| Smith 2007 | Total 14 units across 6 people, mean: 0.18, range: 0‐5 (n = 76) | Total 44 units across 17 people, mean: 0.54, range: 0‐5 (n = 82) | 7 days | No SD reported or calculable |
| Teetzman 2014 | Mean 0.95 units range 0‐4 (n = 74) | Mean 0.91 units, range 0‐5 (n = 87) | ||
| Thomassen 2012 | Mean 735 mL (2.3 units), no SD (n = 106) | Mean 834 mL (2.6 units), no SD (n = 110) | ||
| Zhao 2016 | Mean 146.7 mL, no SD (n = 127) | Mean 261 mL, no SD (n = 73) | ||
| Blood loss (mL) | ||||
| Ayers 1995 | Primary: mean 465 mL, range 200‐1100 (n = 67); revision: mean 800 mL, range 300‐2200 (n = 36) | No data | All patients who underwent revision surgery also received intraoperative cell salvage, whereas those undergoing primary surgery did not. | |
| Cheung 2010 | Median 300 IQR 200‐458 (n = 53) | Median 300 IQR 200‐400 (n = 100) | intraoperative | |
| Ekback 1995 | Mean 40% circulating blood volume, SD 11.6% (n = 15) | Mean 45% circulating blood volume, SD 7.7% (n = 15) | 3 days | |
| Rollo 1995 | Group 1: mean 656 mL, range 300‐1400 (n = 35); group 2: mean 682 mL, range 400‐1000 (n = 40) | Group 3: mean 746 mL, range 700‐2000 (n = 40) | NR | |
| Hospital LOS (days) | ||||
| Cheung 2010 | Median 6 IQR 5‐8 days(n = 53) | Median 7 IQR 5.3‐9 (n = 52; median 6 IQR 5‐7 (n = 48) | ||
| Smith 2007 | Mean 6.4 days, range 4‐11 (n = 76) | Mean 6.98 days, range 4‐17 (n = 82) | ||
| Teetzman 2014 | Mean 7 days, range 3‐14 (n = 74) | Mean 6.4 days, range 3‐11 (n = 87) | ||
| Orthopaedic (knee) | ||||
| Transfusions | ||||
| Pavelescu 2014 | 7.6% (unclear N) | 23.1% (unclear N) | 24 hours | Unknown group size, just n = 78 across 3 groups |
| Volume (units) | ||||
| Abuzakuk 2007 | 2.3 units (n = 13) | 2.3 units (n = 12) | 24 hours | Per person transfused, no spread of data reported |
| Amin 2008 | Total 22 units across 12 people (mean: 1.83) | Total 26 units across 13 people (mean: 2 units) | 3 days | No spread of data |
| Breakwell 2000 | Mean 3.8 units (n = 14) | Mean 6.3 units (n = 19) | 3 days postoperative | No spread of data, no N for number transfused |
| Cheng 2005 | Median 0.15 units, range 0‐1 (n = 26) | Median 0.46 units, range 0‐4 (n = 34) | 3 days postoperative | |
| Cip 2013 | Mean 2.1 units (no SD), n = 23 | Mean 2.1 units (no SD), n = 23 | 5 days postoperative | Number of units per person transfused, no SD or other spread of data reported |
| Dramis 2006 | Total 6 units across 3 people (mean: 2 units); average reported as 0.2 units | Total 22 units across 10 people (mean: 2.2 units); average reported as 1.3 units | 48 hours | Mean calculated from total units and number of people transfused. No SD reported or calculable. Reported average assumed to be per person randomised (not just those transfused) |
| Dutton 2012 | Mean 0.5 units (n = 23) | Mean 0.47 units (n = 25) | NR | No spread of data reported (no SD) |
| Horstmann 2014b | Mean: 2.16 units (n = 6) | Mean: 2.27 units (n = 11) | No spread of data, mean calculated from total units transfused/number transfused | |
| Majowski 1991 | Total 18 units across 7 people (mean: 0.9 units) | Total 50 units across 19 people (mean: 2.5 units) | 48 hours | No spread of data |
| Munteanu 2009 | Median 1 IQR 0‐2 (n = 50) | Median 1.5 IQR 0‐2 (n = 50) | perioperative | |
| Newman 1997 | Median 0 units, range 0‐3 (n = 35) | Median 2 units, range 0‐4 (n = 35) | 7 days | |
| Pavelescu 2014 | Mean 100 mL, no SD, unclear N | Mean 33.2 mL, no SD, unclear N | 24 hours | |
| Šarkanoviü 2013 | 1 unit (n = 2), 2 units (n = 3) | 1 unit (n = 7), 2 units (n = 32), 3+ units (n = 17) | Unable to calculate no CS group mean and SD due to "3+" category not specifying actual units | |
| Schnurr 2018 | Mean 0.2 units, no SD (n = 100) | Mean 0.17 units, no SD (n = 100) | 7 days | No SD, no spread of data |
| Shenolikar 1997 | Total 17 units across 8 people (mean: 2.125, SD: 0.35, n = 8) | Mean 2.1 units, range 1‐4 (n = 40) | 7 days | Mean and SD calculated in intervention group, mean and range reported in control group (SD not calculable) |
| Touzopoulos 2021 | Total 3 units across 2 patients (mean 1.5 units) | Total 2 units across 2 patients (mean 1 unit) | NR | Reported as total units, no spread of data |
| Blood loss (mL) | ||||
| Amin 2008 | Mean 659 mL, range 100‐1900 (n = 92) | Mean 638 mL, range 86‐1470 (n = 86) | 24 hours | Unclear if this is range or IQR (range presumed) |
| Breakwell 2000 | Mean 840 mL (n = 14) | Mean 800 mL (n = 19) | Intraoperative (in theatre) | No spread of data, no N for number transfused |
| Cheng 2005 | Mean 273 mL, range 100‐600 (n = 26) | Mean 280 mL, range 100‐800 (n = 34) | intraoperative | |
| Laszczyca 2015 | Mean 848 mL, no SD (n = 38) | Mean 494, no SD (n = 63) | Total blood loss, no spread of data reported | |
| Pavelescu 2014 | Mean 413.46 mL, no SD, unclear N | Mean 451.92 mL, no SD, unclear N | 24 hours | |
| Šarkanoviü 2013 | Mean 1688.61 mL, range 400‐4800 (n = 55) | Mean 1970.35 mL, range 1000‐5350 (n = 57) | 48 hours | Unclear if this is mean or median, and range or IQR. Mean and range assumed due to presentation in other tables in this way |
| Schnurr 2018 | Mean 1840 mL, range 590‐6405 (n = 100) | Mean 1685mL, range 500‐4390 (n = 100) | 7 days | Unclear if this is range or IQR |
| Hospital LOS (days) | ||||
| Amin 2008 | Mean 6.6 days, range 3‐14 (n = 92) | Mean 7 days, range 3‐16 (n = 86) | Unclear if this is range or IQR (presumed range) | |
| Horstmann 2014b | Mean 6.7 days, no SD (n = 59) | Mean 6.6 days, no SD (n = 56) | No spread of data | |
| Laszczyca 2015 | Mean 10.4 days, no SD (n = 38) | Mean 11 days, no SD (n = 57) | No spread of data | |
| Šarkanoviü 2013 | Mean 6.18 days, range 2‐11 (n = 55 | Mean 7.67 days, range 3‐14 (n = 57) | ||
| Shenolikar 1997 | Average 15.6 days, range 10‐28 (n = 50) | Average 16.7 days, range 10‐38 (n = 50) | Unclear if average is median or mean | |
| Orthopaedic (mixed) | ||||
| Transfusions | ||||
| Kristensen 1992 | 6/18 hip, and 3/13 knee patients | NR | NR | Only reported in CS group |
| Volume (units) | ||||
| Gannon 1991 | Mean 67 mL (n = 124) | Mean 256 mL (n = 115) | NR | No spread of data reported |
| Healy 1994 | Total 31 units across 14 people (group 1: 10 units, 5 people, mean: 2 units; group 2: 21 units, 9 people, mean: 2.3 units) | Total 36 units across 15 people (mean: 2.4 units) | in‐hospital | No spread of data reported |
| Kristensen 1992 | Hip: mean 0.61 units, range 0‐2 (n = 18); knees: mean 0.31 units, range 0‐2 (n = 13) | Hip: mean 2.25 units, range 0‐8 (n = 16); knee: mean 3.25 units, range 0‐6 (n = 9) | postoperative | No SD reported, unable to combine data from subgroups, no detail on number transfused in control group |
| Moonen 2007 | Mean 2.2 units, range 1‐4 (n = 5) | Mean 1.5, range 1‐3 (n = 15) | in‐hospital | |
| Blood loss (mL) | ||||
| Mac 1993 | During surgery: mean 424.02 mL; Postoperative: mean 872.04 mL (n = 56) | During surgery: mean 314.86 mL; Postoperative: mean 826.43 mL (n = 35) | Intra‐ and postoperatively | No SD reported or any other spread of data |
| Mauerhan 1993 | Mean 596 mL, range 0‐1210 (n = 57) | Mean 477 mL, range 130‐1205 (n = 54) | postoperative | |
| So‐Osman 2006 | Group B: median 500 mL, range 0‐2400 (n = 22); group C: median 485 mL, range 0‐1700 (n = 24) | Group A: median 313 mL, range 0‐1625 (n = 22) | NR | |
| So‐Osman 2014 | Group 1 = 650 (median) mL 350 ‐ 1000 (IQR), n = 214; Group 3 = 650 (median) mL 350 ‐ 1000 (IQR), n = 206; Part 2 = 650 (median) mL 400 ‐ 950 (IQR), n = 1061 | Group 2 = 650 (median) 400‐1000 (IQR), n = 125; Group 4 = 650 (median) 400‐950 (IQR), n = 138; Part 2 = 700 (median) 400‐1000 (IQR), n = 698 | Perioperative | Reports all primary and secondary endpoints evaluated at 3 months |
| Hospital LOS (days) | ||||
| Thomassen 2014 | Group B: 4 (median), 4‐6 (IQR) days, n = 191; Group C: 4 (median), 4‐5 (IQR) days, n = 194 | Group A: median 4 days, IQR 4 to 6, n = 190 | ||
| Orthopaedic (spinal) | ||||
| Transfusions | ||||
| Nemani 2019 | 41.4% of 33 patients (12.42 people) | 60% of 33 patients (19.8 people) | Percentages reported ‐ do not equate to whole people, unable to confidently use data | |
| Blood loss (mL) | ||||
| NCT 01251042 | Mean 1015 mL range 150‐3150 (n = 26) | Mean 1162 mL range 350‐2800 (n = 23) | 7 days | |
CS: cell salvage (intervention); IQR: interquartile range; mL: millilitres; N: number of people analysed; NR: not reported; SD: standard deviation