Aim: The scope of this study is to estimate the blood loss in major orthopaedics operations in the 24 and 48 hours, in order to evaluate the need of drainage for more than 24 hours.

Material-Methods: 100 consecutive in-patients included in this study and we formed 4 groups. Group A: THR (cemented-cementless), group B: TKR, group C: hemiarthroplasty, group D: DHS due to intertrochanteric fracture. We applied a drainage in all the patients for 48 hours and we measured the blood loss in 24 and 48 hours, the Hb for the next three days and the transfusion units.

Results: In group A the mean blood loss is 513, 75 ml in 24 hours and 147,08 ml in 48 hours. In group B the mean blood loss is 559, 62 ml in 24 hours and 91,31 ml in 48 hours. In group C the mean blood loss is 190 ml and 35, 6 ml in 48 hours. In group D the mean blood loss is 140, 48 ml and 16, 4 ml in 48 hours.

Conclusions: There is no need to keep the drainage more than 24 hours in the groups of hemiarthroplasty and DHS since the blood loss after 24 hours is minimum. We suggest to keep the drainage more than 24 hours in the groups of THR and TKR since there is significant blood loss after 24 hours.