Post-operative auto-transfusion in total hip or knee arthroplasty: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Total hip or knee arthroplasty is an elective procedure that is usually accompanied by substantial blood loss, which may lead to acute anemia. As a result, almost half of total joint arthroplasty patients receive allogeneic blood transfusions (ABT). Many studies have shown that post-operative auto-transfusion (PAT) significantly reduces the need for ABT, but other studies have questioned the efficacy of this method.