J Knee Surg 2006; 19(4): 256-258
DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1248115
Original Article

© 2006 Thieme Medical Publishers

Extramedullary Femoral Alignment Instrumentation Reduces Blood Loss After Uncemented Total Knee Arthroplasty

Leonid Kandel1, 2 , Con Vasili1 , George Kirsh1
  • 1St George Private and Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospitals, Australia
  • 2The Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical School, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
25 January 2010 (online)

ABSTRACT

The influence of different femoral alignment systems on blood loss and the need for blood transfusion after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) was studied. The blood loss was retrospectively recorded in two similar groups of consecutive patients. The first group consisted of 46 patients in whom TKA was performed using the intramedullary femoral alignment system and the second group consisted of 45 patients in whom the procedure was performed with the extramedullary system. In the intramedullary group, the mean volume of drained blood was 758 mL, whereas in the extramedullary group it was 613 mL (P < .05). More patients in the intramedullary group required blood transfusions, but no significant difference was noted in the number of blood units transfused per patient. Extramedullary femoral alignment instrumentation reduces blood loss after cementless TKA.