Abstract

The value of postoperative salvage and re-infusion of drained blood was assessed in 155 patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty for primary knee osteoarthritis. In group A (n = 77), standard vacuum drains were used. In group B (n = 78), an auto-transfusion system was used and the blood drained within 6 hours postoperatively was re-infused. Group B patients were further distributed into 2 subgroups, in one of which methylprednisolone was administered before blood re-perfusion. Patients who received autologous blood had higher levels of haemoglobin at 8 hours (p < 0.05) and 24 hours postoperatively (p < 0.01) and needed less allogeneic blood transfusion (p < 0.01). Methylprednisolone administration was found to attenuate the postoperative febrile reaction (p = 0.01).