Introduction: Autologous blood transfusions remain despite the increasing safety and quality of allogeneic transfusions an important part of haemotherapy. Methods: 151 departments were sent questionnaires mapping the implementation of autologous programmes in the CR in 2001. Results: 101 departments responded. 19318 preoperative autologous whole blood donations were made (4.5 % of all whole blood donations, incl. allogeneic ones). This number included 100 donations in children and 7 in pregnant women. In 2001 182 autologous donations by erythrocytopheresis and 118 by plasmapheresis, 2642 acute normovolaemic haemodilution (ANH) and 208 cases of perioperative blood salvage (PBS) were made. From collected autologous blood two thirds served production of whole blood, one third production of red blood cells and somewhat less plasma. Discussion and conclusion: Among autologous transfusions preoperative autologous blood donation (PAD) dominates, although since 1999 the number of PADhas been declining.MorePADwere implemented in the Moravian regions.Detection of anti-HCV, anti-HIV 1,2, HBsAg, and syphilis is higher in autologous blood donations than in alogeneic ones. In subjects who donated for the first time the incidence ofHCVwas surprisingly higher than in autologous blood donors. The number of apheretic autologous donations declined as compared with previous year. Data on ANH and PBS are underrated due to the non-participation of many anaesthesiological and resuscitation departments incl. large hospitals.

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