title: Autologous blood donation in total knee arthroplasties is not necessary.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study intends to prove the hypothesis that preoperative autologous blood donation in total knee arthroplasties (TKA) is dispensable.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study comprises a prospective analysis of 81 consecutive TKA without preoperative autologous blood donation (AB-donation). Guidelines for blood retransfusion were used. Surgery, as well as the pre- and postoperative procedures were identical for each patient. In the analysis of the data, the consecutive TKAs were divided into patients who were eligible for preoperative autologous blood donation (group 1, n = 46) and those with relevant risk factors not permitting preoperative autologous blood donation (group 2, n = 35).
  
  
  RESULTS
  None of the patients in group 1 needed a blood transfusion. 14 of 35 patients in group 2 needed an allogenic blood transfusion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Total knee arthroplasty can be managed without preoperative AB-donation if it is performed using a tourniquet, if a postoperative collection and direct retransfusion system is used for the wound blood, and if the transfusion algorithm is defined according to compulsory and practical guidelines.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Evaluative Research in Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Bern, CH-3008 Bern, Switzerland. umueller@memced.org
authors.forename: Urs
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Röder
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pisan
authors.forename: Rene
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Orler
authors.forename: Amer
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: El-Kerdi
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eggli
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods*; D001804:Blood Transfusion, Autologous / Q000379:methods*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020896:Hypovolemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016037:Single-Blind Method