title: Autologous blood transfusion in total knee replacement surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Total knee replacement (TKR) surgery is one of the most frequent and the most extensive procedures in orthopedic surgery, accompanied with some serious complications. Perioperative blood loss is one of the most serious losses, so it is vital to recognize and treat such losses properly. Autologous blood transfusion is the only true alternative for the allogeneic blood. The aim of this study was to to examine if autologous blood transfusion reduces usage of allogenic blood in total knee replacement surgery, as well as to examine possible effect of autologous blood transfusion on postoperative complications, recovery and hospital stay of patients after total knee replacement surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  During the controlled, prospective, randomised study we compared two groups of patients (n = 112) with total prosthesis implanted in their knee. The group I consisted of the patients who received the transfusion of other people's (allogeneic) blood (n = 57) and the group II of the patients whose blood was collected postoperatively and then given them [their own (autologous) blood] (n = 55). The transfusion trigger for both groups was hemoglobin level of 85 g/L.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the group of patients whose blood was collected perioperatively only 9 (0.9%) of the patients received transfusion of allogeneic blood, as opposed to the control group in which 98.24% of the patients received the transfusion of allogeneic blood (p < or = 0.01). The patients whose blood was collected stayed in hospital for 6.18 days, while the patients of the control group stayed 7.67 days (p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Autologous blood transfusion is a very effective method for reducing consumption of allogenic blood and thus, indirectly for reducing all complications related to allogenic blood transfusion. There is also a positive influence on postoperative recovery after total knee replacement surgery due to the reduction of hospital stay, and indirectly on the reduction of hospital costs.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Clinical Centre of Vojvodina, Novi Sad, Serbia. mirka.lukic@gmail.com
authors.forename: Mirka Lukić
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Sarkanović
authors.forename: Ljiljana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gvozdenović
authors.forename: Dragan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Savić
authors.forename: Miroslav P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Ilić
authors.forename: Gordana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jovanović
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; D001804:Blood Transfusion, Autologous; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged