Audit of post-operative auto-transfusion of shed blood in hip arthroplasty.

Auto-transfusion of shed blood for joint arthroplasty has several theoretical advantages: availability, compatibility, avoidance of transmission of infection and cost. The clinical records of 92 primary hip arthroplasties were reviewed to investigate the effect of auto-transfusion on the use of the National Blood Transfusion Service both in terms of blood ordered and subsequently used. Overall, post-operative auto-transfusion had no significant effect on blood ordering or usage and was very expensive. The majority of patients were over transfused.