Preoperative autologous blood donation in primary total knee arthroplasty: a single-centre experience on 214 consecutive patients.
OBJECTIVE
Although preoperative autologous blood donation (PABD) is a widespread practice in elective orthopedic surgery, it is controversial whether this procedure avoids allogeneic blood transfusions in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA).


METHODS
We performed a retrospective study on 214 consecutive patients undergoing PABD before elective primary TKA.


RESULTS
Thirty-eight patients (17.8%) were transfused with autologous red blood cells (RBC), while four of them (10.5% of those requiring transfusions, 1.9% of all patients) also received allogeneic RBC. The transfused patients were, in most cases, female and had significantly lower basal and preoperative haemoglobin levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on the results of this study, PABD is not necessary in most patients undergoing TKA, although older female patients with low basal haemoglobin levels could benefit from a predeposit programme and/or erythropoietin support in order to reduce the risk of exposure to allogeneic blood.
Franchini
M
M
Servizio di Immunoematologia e Trasfusione, Azienda Ospedaliera di Verona, Verona, Italy. massimo.franchini@mail.azosp.vr.it
Regis
D
D
Gandini
G
G
Corallo
F
F
de Gironcoli
M
M
Aprili
G
G
D000368:Aged; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; D001782:Blood Donors; D001804:Blood Transfusion, Autologous / Q000009:adverse effects; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D006454:Hemoglobins