Abstract
Aims: High evacuation pressure is known to increase drained blood loss following uncemented total knee replacements (TKRs). However, the effect of different evacuation pressures on drained loss or total blood loss in cemented TKRñs is unknown. We set out to investigate this effect. Methods: One hundred patients undergoing cemented TKRñs were randomised to receive high or low-pressure suction drains after surgery. The following were observed:-
The volume of blood evacuated from the knee joint,
The calculated total blood loss,
Time to discharge, range of movement and incidence of wound problems.
Results: Greater drainage volumes were seen with the higher evacuation pressures. However, total blood loss from the circulating volume was not statistically different between the two groups. No difference was seen in morbidity or clinical outcome. Drained volumes were substantially less than published values for uncemented TKRs. Conclusions: For a given drop in total blood volume, the high-pressure drains were more efþcient in evacuating haemarthrosis. However, the lower pressures drains demonstrated no increase in morbidity or worsened clinical outcome. The relevance of these þndings in the context of autologous salvage drainage systems, which operate at similar low-pressures to avoid haemolysis, is presented.
Theses abstracts were prepared by Professor Dr. Frantz Langlais. Correspondence should be addressed to him at EFORT Central Office, Freihofstrasse 22, CH-8700 Küsnacht, Switzerland.
