Transfusion options in total joint arthroplasty.

Concern about the safety of allogeneic blood transfusion, including the risk of viral infection and immunosuppression, has led to the development of transfusion options in total joint arthroplasty, including intraoperative and postoperative blood salvage, autologous donation, hemodilution, and the use of epoetin alfa. Intraoperative or postoperative blood salvage has been shown not to be cost-effective at our institution except in revision hip arthroplasties because not enough blood is collected. Autologous donation is not helpful. One third of patients undergoing joint arthroplasty have hemoglobin values between 10 and 13 g/dL preoperatively. The most efficient way to decrease allogeneic risk in these patients is epoetin alfa. Epoetin alfa decreases allogeneic risk to 12.9%, which is acceptable. Patients with preoperative hemoglobin >14 g/dL undergoing single total knee or total hip arthroplasty do not need anything because their allogeneic risk is minimal. Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA).