AUTOLOGOUS TRANSFUSION SYSTEM FOR DRAINAGE OF SURGICAL TRAUMA AFTER TKR

The purpose of this paper is to present the results of the comparative study about the use of autologous transfusion system for drainage of surgical trauma after total knee arthroplasty, aiming to decrease the p.o. homologous blood transfusion need. During the period between Nov 2001 and Apr 2003 we studied 110 patients (80 women and 15 men, mean age 70,5 years) who underwent TKR. We used autologous transfusion system in 55 patients (group A) and for the rest 55 (group B) a plain negative pressure drainage system. From the group B patients, 35 (63,63%) were transfused with 2–4 blood units, while only 17 (30,9%) patients from group A had the need for homologous blood transfusion (2–5 units). But, we should mark that in 8 patients autologous transfusion system failed and 7 of them were transfused (2 units each). This means that from group A patients to whom autologous transfusion system was used successfully (47) only for 10 (21,27%) there was need for homologous blood transfusion. The autologous transfusion system gave 200–1650cc (mean 619cc) of blood. None of group A patients and 2 of group B had allergic reaction. In conclusion, the autologous transfusion system contributes to decreasing the homologous blood transfusion after TKR and in addition it decreases the transfusion’s complications.