To explore the impact of a modified blood management strategy on blood loss and transfusion rates during outpatient total hip arthroplasty(THA).

The retrospective research was performed in a total of 125 patients (125 hips) who underwent outpatient primary THA from January 2019 to December 2021 at a medical center. According to whether a modified blood management protocol was used or not, all patients were divided into two groups. Group A was used the original perioperative blood management strategies (1 g tranexamic acid, intravenously, 10 minutes before skin incision), and group B was used the modified perioperative blood management strategy (on the basis of the original protocol, 2 g tranexamic acid was sprayed locally in the joint cavity before the incision was closed, 1 g tranexamic acid was injected intravenously 3 hours after surgery, and 1 g tranexamic acid was injected intravenously again on the first day after surgery). There were 52 cases in group A, including 32 males and 20 females, aged 58.5±9.8 years (range, 39-69 years), 13 cases were developmental hip dysplasia (Crowe I°-II°), 24 cases were avascular necrosis of the femoral head, 10 cases were hip osteoarthritis, 3 cases were ankylosing spondylitis involving hip joint, and 2 cases were femoral neck fracture. Among the 73 patients in group B, there were 43 males and 30 females, aged 55.8±10.4 years (range, 42-67 years), including 17 cases of developmental hip dysplasia (Crowe I°-II°), 32 cases of avascular necrosis of the femoral head, 16 cases of hip osteoarthritis, 7 cases of ankylosing spondylitis involving hip joint, and 1 case of femoral neck fracture. Intraoperative blood loss, transfusion, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) events (vascular ultrasound, 2w Postop.), the hemoglobin (Hb) drop, the hematocrit (Hct) drop and other complications were recorded.

After using the modified strategy, the intraoperative blood loss was significantly reduced (305.6±38.6 ml vs. 416.2±88.3 ml, t=9.51, P<0.001), and the drop of hemoglobin was significantly decreased (18.1±4.0 g/L vs. 22.3±5.8 g/L, t=4.97, P<0.001). The drop of Hct also decreased significantly (7.3%±0.7% vs. 9.6%±1.3%, t=10.21, P<0.001), and total blood loss decreased significantly (720.6±57.4 ml vs. 919.6±86.3 ml, t=15.49, P<0.001). The hidden blood loss was also significantly lower than that in group A (414.9±71.1 ml vs. 503.5±96.4 ml, t=5.91, P<0.001). One patient (in group A) developed intra-articular hemorrhage 2 h after surgery and was transferred back to the inpatient ward for treatment after transfusion. Three patients (2.4%, 1 in group A and 2 in group B) developed symptomatic anemia and were discharged successfully after conservative treatment. Calf muscular venous thrombosis occurred in 3 patients (2.4%), but no symptomatic deep vein thrombosis occurred in all patients.

According to this retrospective research, the use of modified blood management strategy during outpatient THA can further reduce intraoperative blood loss, hidden blood loss and postoperative hematocrit drop, and does not increase the occurrence of perioperative thrombosis-related complications.

Arthroplasty, replacement, hip; Tranexamic acid; Surgical procedures, operative; Outpatient surgery