Blood Loss and Influencing Factors in Primary Total Hip Arthroplasties

Abstract

Introduction: Orthopaedic surgery results in significant blood loss. There are no studies that can aid the surgeon in the African region estimate the expected blood loss after total hip replacement. We conducted a study to quantify the blood loss following total hip arthroplasty and to determine the factors associated with this blood loss.

Methods: We conducted a cohort study of primary total hip arthroplasties and estimated the mean blood loss using a predetermined formula.

Results: The mean blood loss was estimated to be 4.3g/dl and was associated with higher pre operative haemoglobin concentration and increasing duration of surgery. Conclusion: Total hip arthroplasty is associated with high levels of blood loss. The reduction of surgical time and pre operative autologous blood donation may reduce this loss and potentially reduce the need for post operative allogeneic blood transfusion.