Abstracts Posters SICOT-SOF meeting Gothenburg 2010 _2_

Poster
Topic: General Orthopaedics
Abstract number: 23746
BLOOD LOSS IN ARTHROPLASTY- DOES EXTENDED DVT PROPHYLAXIS
WITH TINZPARIN INCREASE BLOOD LOSS OR TRANSFUSION RATES?
S THOMAS, S MULLER
Wansbeck hospital, Ashington, Newcastle upon Tyne (UNITED KINGDOM)
Background: The national institute of clinical excellence (NICE) UK has
recommended a 28 day post operative course of tinzparin for patients undergoing
knee or hip arthroplasty. This has led to concerns regarding increased bleeding and
wound ooze. Aim: To study the blood loss and blood transfusion rates in patients
undergoing arthroplasty and to identify if extended DVT prophylaxis with tinzparin
increase transfusion rates. Methods: 102 patients who had either hip or knee
arthroplasty were selected for this study. 51 cases were done prior to introduction of
the 28 day course of tinzparin and 51 who were given a 28 day course of tinzparin
post operatively. For indirect blood loss assessment the preoperative and post
operative haemoglobin counts (up to 28 days post op) were checked. Blood
transfusions in these patients were also checked.Results17 patients in the pre 28 day
tinzparin group were transfused compared to 14 in the 28 day tinzparin group. The
mean haemoglobin drop in the pre 28 day tinzparin group was 4.26 compared to 3.83
in the 28 day tinzparin group. There was no statistically significant difference in the
transfusion rates and haemoglobin drop between the two groups. There was no
significant difference in haemoglobin drop between the operating surgeons.
Conclusion: Our study shows that extended DVT prophylaxis with tinzparin did not
cause any significant increase in blood loss or blood transfusion rates.
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