[Limited, haemoglobin-dependent indication for autologous blood donation in total hip or knee replacement]

The rejection rate of autologous blood donation before joint replacement is high. The influence of the haemoglobin value and the age of patient before autologous blood donation was examined according to the necessity for blood transfusion.

In a retrospective study, the data of 233 patients who had donated autologous blood before hip (THR) or knee arthroplasty (TKR) were analysed.

72 patients (30.9 %) received an autologous blood transfusion during surgery or in the further course until the first day after surgery. A multivariate analysis showed no significant influence of age on the need for transfusions (p = 0.093), but a higher haemoglobin value before blood donation reduced the risk significantly to 0.712 per unit (1 g/dl). Therefore the age of the patient was less predictive compared to the haemoglobin value as to whether or not a blood transfusion had been necessary.

The high security of homologous blood reached in the last years and the knowledge that autologous blood donation reduces the haemoglobin value before surgery has led to the procedure in our hospital only to perform autologous blood donation at the explicit request of the patient.