[Intraoperative autotransfusion. Reinfusion of erythrocytes in total hip arthroplasty reduces the need for blood from banks]

Abstract

We have tested a cell-saver system, which collects, washes, concentrates and filtrates red blood cells before autotransfusion. The study consisted of 35 consecutive patients who had a total hip arthroplasty (THA), 18 using the cell-saver and 17 not using it. There was no significant difference in the peroperative bleeding, or in the total blood loss. The median blood loss was 1950 ml (925-6337 ml) in the cell-saver group and 2350 ml (1260-4440 ml) in the control group. The need for homologous transfusion was significantly higher in the control group compared to the cell-saver group, median 500 vs 250 ml of sag-M blood. This difference is of the same magnitude as the amount of autotransfused red blood cells suspended in saline water, median 398 ml. In the cell-saver group nine patients did not need any homologous transfusions at all, whereas in the control group only one did not need any transfusion.