The potential use of human recombinant erythropoietin in orthopedic surgery.

Human recombinant erythropoietin has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of anemia due to chronic renal failure or malignancy and in zidovudine-treated patients with the human immunodeficiency virus. It is highly effective in reducing the anemia commonly seen in these patients, with minimal adverse effects. Approximately 20% of patients undergoing elective orthopedic procedures are not able to donate adequate amounts of autologous blood prior to surgery. Additionally, patients who cannot donate 3 or more units of blood prior to large procedures are at increased risk for receiving a homologous transfusion despite the use of intraoperative and postoperative blood conservation techniques. Investigational use of this drug as an adjuvant to autologous blood donation has been shown to increase the amount of blood donated by patients prior to surgery and, therefore, will decrease homologous blood transfusions after surgery. Perioperative use of this drug, dosage, route of administration, and clinical indications are currently being evaluated in multicenter clinical trials.