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Low-molecular-weight heparin has been studied extensively in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and provides highly effective and safe prophylaxis against deep venous thrombosis (DVT). Low-molecular-weight heparin received the highest rating (A1) in the American College of Chest Physicians recommendations for DVT prophylaxis after elective TKA. Prevalence of DVT with low-molecular-weight heparin prophylaxis was 33% in TKA data pooled from six randomized studies, with a proximal DVT rate of 7.1%. A metaanalysis reported a 2.4% rate of major bleeding with low-molecular-weight heparin. Low-molecular-weight heparin, given by subcutaneous injection, can be started before surgery or after surgery. A synthetic pentasaccharide (fondaparinux), which received an A1 rating in the American College of Chest Physicians recommendations, also is available. As with all treatments, the benefit must be considered against the risk when using these anticoagulants.

This study evaluated whether patients receiving a two-dose regime of epoetin alfa received less allogeneic blood than patients donating autologous blood before primary hip arthroplasty. Consenting patients with a hemoglobin level between 12 and 15 g/dL were randomly assigned to a two-dose administration of epoetin alfa (19 patients) or autologous donation (21 patients). Sixteen percent of the patients in the epoetin alfa group and 52% of the patients in the autologous donation group received transfusions, with a mean volume of 90 cc per patient in the epoetin alfa group and 340 cc in the autologous donation group. Hemoglobin was similar at screening; however, the epoetin alfa group achieved a higher hemoglobin (14.6 g/dL) than the autologous donation group (12.6 g/dL) before surgery. Hemoglobin remained significantly higher in the epoetin alfa group for 3 days after surgery. Administration of two doses of epoetin alfa provided patients with effective and safe reduction of allogeneic blood transfusions and decreased the necessity and difficulty of autologous donation before total hip arthroplasty.

Acute normovolemic hemodilution has been reported to result in blood savings varying from 18% to 90%. Very few of these are randomized prospective studies. This study attempts to determine the blood transfusion savings if acute normovolemic hemodilution is used in combination with autologous predonated blood and cell saver. Thirty-three patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty were assigned randomly to one of two groups (control, n = 16; hemodilution, n = 17). Patients in both groups entered an autologous predonation program if cleared medically and were placed on Cell Saver intraoperatively and in the postanesthesia care unit. In addition, the hemodilution group underwent acute normovolemic hemodilution preoperatively. Only 41% of the patients in the hemodilution group required any autologous blood transfusion as compared with 75% of the control group. In addition, the hemodilution group required a mean lower quantity of autologous blood transfusion (41% of the estimated blood loss) as compared with the control group (71%). The net anesthesia time increased by an average of 11.4 minutes in the hemodilution group. Acute normovolemic hemodilution is a safe procedure even in an older patient population. Hemodilution resulted in fewer patients needing autologous predonated blood transfusions. The major benefit of hemodilution was seen when predonation was not possible.

This study compared the effects of preoperative physical therapy of general cardiovascular conditioning exercises with the routine procedure of no preoperative physical therapy on patients undergoing primary total knee replacement. Thirty patients were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups. Group 1 was the control group. Group 2 participated in a physical therapy program designed to strengthen the upper and lower limbs and improve knee range of motion. Group 3 participated in a cardiovascular conditioning program, consisting of arm ergometry, cycle ergometry, aquatic exercises, and aerobic activity. All patients were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively using the Hospital for Special Surgery Knee Rating, the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale, and the Quality of Well Being instrument. Both experimental groups tolerated their respective exercise protocols extremely well. All 3 groups showed significant improvement postoperatively as measured by the Hospital for Special Surgery Knee Rating, the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale and the Quality of Well Being measurement scales. However, neither type of preoperative exercise added to the degree of improvement after surgery at any of the postoperative evaluations.