Haemodilution study in major orthopaedic surgery experience as a technique of blood conservation

Haemodilution and auto-transfusion were carried out in 103 consecutive patients having major orthopaedic surgery. The records of 99 patients were available for retrospective assessment of this technique. Fifty-six per cent of the patients did not require any homologous blood transfusion. Homologous blood transfusion was given to 44% of the patients, who used up 99 units of blood in their entire hospital stay. There was no morbidity such as transfusion reaction, infection, decrease in platelets or re-operation for bleeding associated with the procedure, although there was one death secondary to myocardial infarction. This technique offered an alternative method to reduce the use of homologous blood transfusion in major orthopaedic operations.