Niranjan 2006.

Methods	Consecutive patients undergoing first‐time coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) requiring at least three bypass grafts with moderate‐good left ventricular function were invited to participate in the randomised trial. Randomisation was achieved by mixing non‐transparent envelopes containing cards marked with the code of each group. Randomisation was done the day before surgery.
Participants	80 patients undergoing first‐time isolated CABG surgery were randomly allocated to one of four groups: Group 1 (Autotransfusion ‐ 'on‐pump' group): n=20; M/F=16/4; mean (sd) age = 66.3 (7.3) years Group 2 (Control ‐ 'on‐pump' group): n=20; 16/4; mean (sd) age = 66.1 (10.8) years Group 3 (Autotransfusion ‐ 'off‐pump' group): n=20; M/F=15/5; mean (sd) age = 67.25 (11.2) years Group 4 (Control ‐ 'off‐pump' group): n=20; M/F=19/1; mean (sd) age = 67.9 (9.5) years
Interventions	Group 1: Autotransfusion ('on‐pump') group (Dideco Electa autotranfusion device) underwent intra‐operative cell salvage with autotransfusion of washed salvaged red blood cells (RBCs) at the conclusion of the procedure. The cell saver was used to collect blood lost from skin incision to the commencement of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and then again after the administration of protamine to skin closure. Group 2: Control ('on‐pump') group had all blood lost from skin incision to commencement of CPB and protamine reversal to skin closure aspirated into a waste sucker. Group 3: Autotransfusion ('off‐pump') group (Dideco Electa autotransfusion device) underwent intra‐operative cell salvage with autotransfusion of washed salvaged RBCs at the conclusion of the procedure. The cell saver was used to collect blood lost from skin incision to skin closure. Group 4: Control ('off‐pump') group had all lost blood from skin incision to closure suctioned with a high‐pressure sucker into a waste container. NB: Prior to autotransfusion the salvaged blood was washed and centrifuged with resuspension of the RBCs in saline to a haematocrit of approximately 0.6. This blood was then transferred to a sterile collecting bag and re‐transfused into the patient via a standard blood giving set at the time of skin closure.
Outcomes	Outcomes reported: amount of allogeneic blood transfused, volume of blood collected by the cell saver, blood loss, mortality, hospital length of stay, adverse events.
Notes	Transfusion threshold: allogeneic blood was only transfused if the haemoglobin concentration was than 8.0g/dL.
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Low risk	Method used to generate allocation sequences was adequate.
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	High risk	Method used to conceal treatment allocation was inadequate.
Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) All outcomes	High risk	Single‐blind.