There is no established evidence to support the use of drains after total knee replacement; however 94% of orthopaedic surgeons in UK routinely use closed suction drains. Haematomas can form with or without using drains, presence of which in addition may provide portal for infection and may increase blood loss. Blood group and save is routinely performed for every patient undergoing total knee replacement, however actual cross match and transfusion is needed for a small percentage of patients. To compare the requirement for blood transfusion after total knee replacement with and without the use of closed suction drains and the cost analysis of performing routine blood group and save pre-operatively.Introduction
Aim
