[Fewer blood transfusions after introduction of auto-transfusion system as part of hip- and knee-replacement surgery].

Objective: To establish the effect of the introduction of an auto-transfusion system on the number of homologous blood transfusions required as part of total hip- and knee-replacement surgery.

Design: Prospective observational study.

Methods: The number of homologous blood transfusions required after total hip or knee replacement was compared between a group of 195 patients before and a group of 176 patients after introduction of an auto-transfusion system.