ABSTRACT
<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is an important therapy for the treatment of various late-stage knee diseases. However, it has been observed that patients have lower hemoglobin (HB) counts postoperatively, which are significantly inconsistent with the measured blood loss. Although the concept of hidden blood loss has been presented in 2000, very little clinical attention has been paid since then. In this study, we investigated the characteristics and influential factor of hidden blood loss after TKA in treating knee osteoarthritis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and eight patients, with 42 males and 66 females, were retrospectively analyzed. The perioperative blood loss and the hidden blood loss following TKA were calculated by Gross formula. Potential factors affecting perioperative and hidden blood loss included gender, surgical time, tourniquet time, hemostasis (during operation with deflating tourniquet), and reinfusion of salvaged blood.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The average perioperative blood loss was found to be (1553 ± 356) ml and the average hidden blood loss was (793 ± 223) ml. The hidden blood loss of the male was significantly higher than that of the female, and was reduced by hemostasis during the operation with a deflating tourniquet. Hidden blood loss was not affected by postoperative blood salvage and reinfusion, surgical time, or tourniquet time.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>When calculating the value of hidden blood loss by Gross formula, the lowest value of hematocrit should be chosen as the parameter so that hidden blood loss would not be underestimated. No significant differences could be found in hidden blood loss for males compared to females. Hidden blood loss can be reduced by hemostasis during operation with a deflating tourniquet. Although reinfusion of salvaged blood could not reduce the perioperative blood loss or hidden blood loss, it was still an effective method to reduce transfusion rate.</p>
Subject(s)
Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee , Blood Loss, Surgical , Osteoarthritis, Knee , General Surgery , Perioperative Period , Retrospective Studies , Sex FactorsABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of prosthetic replacement in treatment of femoral neck fractures on the hemiplegia side in the elderly.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From May 1990 to May 2000, 189 elderly patients with femoral neck fractures were treated with prosthetic replacement in my hospital. Twenty-nine hemiplegia patients, who suffered from stroke previously, had Garden type III and type IV femoral neck fractures on the hemiplegia side. Thirty non-hemiplegia patients were chosen randomly. The two groups were followed-up for 27-98 months (average: 59 months). The age, hospitalization days, operating time, blood loss, blood transfusion, complications during perioperative period and long-term complications were compared between the two groups and the results of femoral head replacement and total hip replacement in the hemiplegia group were also compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All the patients of the two groups survived the perioperative period. No significant difference was found in the age, hospitalization days, operation time, blood loss and blood transfusion and long-term complications between the two groups (P>0.05). However there was significant difference in complications during perioperative period between the two groups (P<0.05). Five patients died in the hemiplegia group with the mortality of 17.2% and two died in the non-hemiplegia group with the mortality of 6.7% 11 months to 5 years after operation. There was significant difference in long-term complications between the femoral head replacement and the total hip replacement in the hemiplegia group (P<0.05). The result of the total hip replacement was better than that of the femoral head replacement.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Prosthetic replacement is a reliable method in treatment of Garden type III and type IV femoral neck fractures on the hemiplegia side in the elderly, and patients are safe during perioperative period. More complications during perioperative period occur in the hemiplegia group, and long-term complications are insignificantly different between the two groups. The mortality rate is higher in the hemiplegia group than in the non-hemiplegia group within 5 years after operation. Since the result of the total hip replacement is better than that of the femoral head replacement, total hip replacement should be chosen firstly to treat Garden type III and type IV femoral neck fractures on the hemiplegia side in the elderly if the muscular strength of the hip is beyond IV degree.</p>