Retransfusion of filtered shed blood in primary total hip and knee arthroplasty

Filters in Autologous blood retransfusion systems affect the amount of blood cells retransfused in total knee arthroplasty. A pilot study.

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Atrium Medical Center, Heerlen, the Nederlands

Moonen A.F.C., Pilot P., Meijers W.G.H., Waelen R.A.J., Leers M.P.G., Grimm B., Heyligers I.G.

Acta Orthop. Belg., 2008 / 74:2 / pp 210-215

The aim of the study was to evaluate whether filters integrated in postoperative retransfusion systems affect the amount of blood cells retransfused after total knee arthroplasty.
The study included 22 patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty. Hb, free Hb, haematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, erythrocytes, leukocytes, & thrombocytes were assessed. Blood samples were taken from the autotransfusion systems at the beginning of retransfusion. Blood Hb levels were measured intravenously preoperatively and after surgery on Day 1 and 3.
The filter integrated in the Bellovac ABT system did not show a significantly decreased amount of leukocytes and erythrocytes compared with the other system investigated. As a result the Hb level of retransfused shed blood with the Bellovac ABT system was significantly higher than with the other system.