Postoperative Autologous Reinfusion in Total Knee Replacement

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Transfusion Medicine
• Patient Blood Management

Background:

• Total knee replacement (TKR) surgeries are rising globally.
• Optimizing blood transfusion protocols is crucial for patient safety and resource management.
• Autologous blood transfusion offers a potential alternative to allogeneic (homologous) blood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety and clinical efficacy of postoperative autologous blood reinfusion in TKR patients.
• To determine if autologous blood reduces the need for homologous blood transfusions.
• To assess the impact on hospital stay duration and cost-effectiveness.

Main Methods:

• An observational retrospective study involving 124 patients undergoing cemented TKR.
• Patients were divided into two groups: one receiving postoperative autologous blood reinfusion, the other serving as a control.
• Microbiological analysis of salvaged autologous blood units was performed.

Main Results:

• Patients receiving autologous blood reinfusion required fewer homologous blood bags (10.6% vs. 30%, p=0.08).
• Hospitalization was significantly shorter for the autologous blood group (7.88 ± 0.7 days vs. 8.96 ± 2.47 days, p=0.03).
• The procedure was cost-effective (€97.53 vs. €103.79, p<0.01) with negative microbiological tests for reinfused units.

Conclusions:

• Postoperative autologous blood reinfusion is an effective strategy for reducing homologous blood use in TKR.
• This method offers significant benefits including shorter hospital stays and cost savings.
• The procedure is simple, reproducible, and safe, making it a valuable addition to TKR patient management.