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 .
Intraoperative Autotransfusion in Hip Arthroplasty
Two groups of patients having primary or revision total hip replacement were studied during a period of 11 months . The first group of 40 consecutive patients consented to have whole blood collected coincident with acute normovolemic hemodilution . An inventory of autologous red blood cells , plasma , and platelets was prepared in the operating room as a preliminary to surgery . Subsequently , the same supplies and equipment were used for autotransfusion intraoperatively . In a case-control study , another 40 patients having total hip replacements were matched for age , gender , and weight . The second group of patients refused hemodilution and received autotransfusion alone . The perioperative transfusion requirements of the two groups were compared . The total blood product donor exposure rate of the first group was ¼ of the controls ( 0.6 and 2.4 donor units per patient , respectively ) . The average length of stay in the hospital after surgery for the first group was shortened significantly ( 6.2 versus 8.4 days ) , possibly from less immunogenic insult associated with increased transfusions of autologous blood products . Hemodilution , followed by autotransfusion , was cost effective in primary and revision total hip replacements , autotransfusion alone was cost effective only in revision arthroplasty
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 .