Intraoperative cell salvage (ICS) became commercially available in 1968 and has enjoyed wide uptake. However, its use in transurethral resection of prostate (TURP) remains rare. We describe a 71-year-old man who underwent TURP with incomplete blood cross-matching. He suffered significant hemorrhage requiring return to theater. There was great delay in obtaining appropriately cross-matched blood, due to previous alloimmunization. ICS was used to retrieve blood present in bladder irrigation. This is the first Australian report of ICS use during TURP. This case led to a change in our practice and serves to demonstrate the potential of this technology during emergencies.