Findings and Conclusion To our knowledge , this is the first meta- analysis to compare the clinical results between PAT and a control in joint replacement patients .
This meta- analysis has proven that the use of a PAT reinfusion system reduced significantly the dem and for ABT , the number of patients who require ABT and the cost of hospitalization after total knee and hip arthroplasty .
This study , together with other previously published data , suggests that PAT drains are beneficial .
Background 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 question ed the efficacy of this method .
Closed wound drainage in total hip or total knee replacement. A prospective, randomized study.
We prospect ively r and omized 415 total joint replacements for either a closed wound-drainage system or no postoperative drainage . Drainage was not used in 200 total joint replacements , of which 138 were total knee replacements and sixty-two , total hip replacements . Drainage was used in 215 total joint replacements , of which 137 were total knee replacements and seventy-eight , total hip replacements . All patients were evaluated for the presence of excessive postoperative drainage that necessitated cessation of the range-of-motion exercises , the amount of transfused blood ( homologous and autologous ) , and the preoperative and postoperative hemoglobin levels . The range of motion was assessed daily in the patients who had a total knee replacement . No statistical difference was found in the number of patients who had excessive postoperative drainage from a drained or non-drained wound . There was also no statistical difference with respect to the amount of transfused blood and the preoperative and postoperative hemoglobin levels . Furthermore , in the patients who had a total knee replacement , there were no statistical differences between drained and non-drained wounds with respect to the daily range of motion during the first seven days postoperatively . The mean amount of blood transfused was 157 milliliters in the total knee replacements with drains , 160 milliliters in the total knee replacements without drains , 188 milliliters in the total hip replacements with drains , and ninety-three milliliters in the total hip replacements without drains . ( ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS
Findings and Conclusion To our knowledge , this is the first meta- analysis to compare the clinical results between PAT and a control in joint replacement patients .
This meta- analysis has proven that the use of a PAT reinfusion system reduced significantly the dem and for ABT , the number of patients who require ABT and the cost of hospitalization after total knee and hip arthroplasty .
This study , together with other previously published data , suggests that PAT drains are beneficial .
Background 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 question ed the efficacy of this method .