Autologous blood transfusion after total knee arthroplasty: a randomized, prospective study comparing predonated and postoperative salvage blood.

Abstract

A randomized, prospective study of the use of allogeneic blood was performed in a consecutive series of patients who underwent primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and had autologous transfusion either from one unit of predonated autologous blood or from postoperative unwashed blood salvage. In this study, 83 patients (88 knees) were included, with 47 knees in the salvage group and 41 in the predonation group. There were no differences between groups in average age, height, and weight, or gender, diagnoses, or anesthesia type. No significant difference was seen between the groups in the prevalence of allogeneic blood transfusion (5% for the predonation group and 0% for salvage group). Postoperative blood salvage was as effective as predonated autologous blood in preventing the risk associated with allogeneic blood after TKA.