Utilidad del drenaje quirúrgico en la cirugía de Artroplastia Total de Rodilla

Introduction. The aim of this work is to study the effect of the use of surgical drains in Total Knee Arthroplasty surgery, regarding the appearance of associated complications, the need for reoperation, blood loss and the need for transfusion, as well as postoperative mobility. Material and methods. This is a retrospective, observational, descriptive study in which 112 patients operated on for Total Knee Arthroplasty are divided into 2 groups based on the use or not of drainage. In addition to demographic variables, the following were studied: Days of post-surgery stay, loss of Hemoglobin and Hematocrit, need for transfusion, complications, and reoperations. Results. Demographic characteristics were similar in the two study groups. In the variables hemoglobin loss and hematocrit loss, statistically significant differences (p <0.05) were highlighted, with a greater decrease in the group of patients who used drainage. The demographic variables, radiological Ahlbäck classification and type of prosthesis, showed potential to be modifying factors for blood loss, showing a greater decrease in PS models and in high degrees of osteoarthritis. In the other variables, no relevant differences were found between two groups. Conclusions. This study shows the absence of benefit in the use of surgical drains in total knee arthroplasty surgery. The use of this surgical technique does not entail any postoperative improvement compared to patients who did not use it in terms of reoperation needs, the appearance of complications or limitations in mobility. In fact, the drains produce a greater blood loss characterized by a greater decrease in hemoglobin and hematocrit after surgery, despite the fact that said loss does not lead to an increased need for blood transfusion.