Goel 2007.

Methods	Between March 2004 and June 2004, all patients admitted for elective or urgent first‐time coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) were enrolled in the study.
Participants	50 patients undergoing 'off‐pump' first‐time coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) were randomised to one of two groups: Group 1 (Autotransfusion group): n=24; M/F=21/3; mean (sd) age = 58.2 (8.7) years Group 2 (Control group): n=25; M/F=21/4; mean (sd) age = 61.9 (10.0) years NB: One patient in the autotransfusion group (intervention group) was excluded from the final analysis due to conversion to cardiopulmonary bypass ('on'pump').
Interventions	Group 1: Autotransfusion group (Dideco autotransfusion system) had all intra‐operative shed blood from the time of incision till skin closure collected by means of a single lumen high‐pressure suction cannula flushed with heparinised saline and was collected in the reservoir of the cell saver device. The collected blood was then subjected to washing and centrifugation. The processed red blood cells were collected in sterile blood bags and were made available to the anaesthetic staff for autotransfusion. Group 2: Control group had their intra‐operative shed blood discarded.
Outcomes	Outcomes reported: amount of allogeneic blood transfused, volume of blood re‐transfused from the cell saver, blood loss, adverse events.
Notes	Transfusion threshold: the indication for allogeneic blood transfusion in the intra‐operative period was a haemoglobin level less than 9.0g/dL or a haematocrit level less than 27%. In the autotransfusion group, all the processed red blood cells collected during surgery were re‐transfused as required. Banked allogeneic blood was used only if the haemoglobin level remained less than 9.0g/dL despite autotransfusion.
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Method used to generate allocation sequences was not described.
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	High risk	Sealed envelopes were used to conceal treatment allocation.
Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) All outcomes	High risk