The author assessed by means of a questionnaire survey the use of autologous programmes in the Czech Republic in 1999. The number of preoperative autologous blood donations in 1999 reached its historical peak. A markedly smaller proportion of the collected autologous whole blood was processed into blood components – red blood cells and plasma. Plasmaphereses were done on a restricted scale, erythrocy- taphereses only sporadically. Thrombocytaphereses, collection of umbilical blood for autotransfusion and filtrations of autologous transfusion preparations were not done. Microaggregate filters were probably not used for retransfusions of autologous transfusion preparations. In acute normovolaemic haemodilution and perioperative blood salvage the data on the number of operations are incomplete and data on the number of collected red blood cells units are very inaccurate. Conclusion: Autologous programmes are topical, the application of erythrocytaphereses in the near future may be foreseen. Better records will reveal also a more truthful picture on the use of acute normovolaemic haemodilution and perioperative blood salvage.

        Key words: autotransfusion, apheresis, acute normovolaemic haemodilution, perioperative blood salvage, preoperative autologous donation