Effect of Postoperative Wound Drainage on the Frequency of Red Blood Cells Transfusion after Primary Hip Arthroplasty

The effect of postoperative wound drainage on the frequency of red blood cells transfusion after primary hip arthroplasty was assessed. Prospective comparative study included 632 patients. The patients were divided into 2 groups depending on whether the postoperative drainage was performed (1st group) or not (2nd group). Duration of surgery, volume of intraoperative blood loss, the level of hemoglobin before surgery and during the first postoperative day, frequency and volume of red blood cells transfusion during the whole period of hospital treatment was evaluated. In group 1 donor red blood cells transfusion was required in 1.3%, in group 2 - in 0.8% of cases (p>0.05). No data on the effect of postoperative wound drainage upon the frequency of red blood cells transfusion after primary hip arthroplasty was obtained.