However, in patients with residual cardiac disease, red blood cell transfusion should be used to maintain a haemoglobin concentration of 8e10 g/dl,rather than the 7 g/dl trigger used for critically ill patients without significant cardiorespiratory disease. Patients may receive autologous blood from the CPB circuit via a cell saver or direct from the pump. The ‘pump blood’ contains residual heparin which may necessitate the use of further prot-amine (50e100 mg).