A pilot to determine how blood salvage can serve Nigerian patients in need of blood transfusion

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
Having enough blood available for medical procedures like surgeries and childbirth is an important aspect of hospital care. But blood is limited and expensive, so hospitals have to be careful how they use it. Giving someone else's blood to a patient also has risks, like infections or bad reactions.

To solve this problem, hospitals are starting to use a method called Patient Blood Management, which means being careful with how they use blood and trying to avoid giving transfusions if possible. One key part of this is using a process called cell salvage during surgeries. This method collects the patient's own lost blood during an operation, cleans it, and puts it back into the body. This can reduce the need for donor blood, saving money and reducing risks.

In childbirth, losing too much blood can be dangerous, and it's a major cause of maternal deaths worldwide. In Nigeria alone, many pregnant women need a lot of blood each year. Hospitals there often use a lot of blood in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology (OBGYN) department.

To see if using cell salvage could help, the Nigerian National Blood Service Commission will test it in Nigeria's OBGYN department. The test will start by using cell salvage in planned surgeries where blood loss is expected, like cesarean sections. Then, if it works well, they'll use it in emergency cases too. This trial will help the Nigerian National Blood Service Commission to see if using cell salvage could be a good idea for hospitals across the country.

Who can participate?
Women aged between 18 and 65 years old giving birth or undergoing a gynaecological surgical procedure at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital or the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital may be eligible depending on their need to receive an autologous blood transfusion.

What does the study involve?
At the two pilot centers, an autologous blood transfusion service by microfiltration cell salvage will be implemented followed by a real-world trial of the use of the service. Any woman admitted to one of the participating hospitals and adhering to the eligibility criteria will be offered the opportunity to use the autologous blood transfusion services. When the woman wishes to make use of the autologous blood transfusion service, her blood lost during the delivery of her baby or surgical procedure is collected. Cleansed with the microfiltration technology and safely given back to her right after processing.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Participating means that if necessary the doctors will use your own blood during surgery, which can be safer, more efficient, and potentially lead to a quicker recovery. Because it’s the women’s own blood, there's less chance of bad reactions or getting sick from someone else's blood. Moreover, there’s a lower need to rely on others’ donated blood. As well as a reduced risk of catching infections like HIV or hepatitis from donated blood. For participating women receiving their own blood may lead to quicker healing since their body is already familiar with the blood received.

When someone gets blood from a donor, there are risks like getting the wrong blood type or infections. However, using cell salvage, where the patient's blood is collected during surgery, cleaned and returned to them can reduce the need for donor blood. This means fewer risks of reactions or infections. Plus, it can help patients recover faster by reducing the chance of low blood after surgery, which can lead to longer hospital stays and other problems. So, participating in cell salvage shouldn't cause any extra discomfort or risk for patients or researchers.

Where is the study run from?
The University of Abuja Teaching Hospital and the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
March 2024 to December 2025

Who is funding the study?
Fund for Innovation in Development (FID)

Who is the main contact?
1. National Blood Service Commission: info@nbsc.gov.ng.
2. University of Calabar Teaching Hospital: Prof Etim Ekanem, etimekanem@unical.edu.ng
3. University of Abuja Teaching Hospital: Dr Theresa Otu, ohuneneizeotu@yahoo.co.uk

Study website

Contact information

Study information

Eligibility

Locations

Countries of recruitment

• Nigeria

Study participating centres

Sponsor information

Funders

Funder type

Research organisation

Results and Publications

Editorial Notes

23/09/2025: The following changes were made to the trial record:
1. The ethics approvals (3, 4, 5) were added.
2. The completion date was changed from 01/07/2025 to 01/12/2025.
3. The date of final enrolment was changed from 01/01/2025 to 01/11/2025.
4. The study participating centres were updated.
08/05/2024: Ethics approval details added.
02/04/2024: Internal review.
21/03/2024: Study's existence confirmed by the UATH Health Research Ethics Committee.