OBJECTIVETo prospectively compare of no drain or with drain after unilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

METHODSA randomized prospective study was conducted between February 2006 and February 2007. The study included 100 patients who were divided into 2 groups: group A (n = 50), which included patients without drain release, and group B (n = 50), which included patients who had a drain release. The true total blood loss was calculated depending on the height, body mass and pre-and post-operative Hct, and hidden blood loss was gotten by subtracting the visible blood loss from total loss. The recovery after surgery, the correlative complications and transfusion amounts were compared and analyzed.

RESULTSAll 100 patients undergoing TKA were involved in the result analysis. In patients without a drain, the total blood loss was (535 +/- 295) ml and the hidden blood loss was (513 +/- 290) ml, in patients with a drain, the total blood loss was (853 +/- 331) ml and the hidden blood loss (689 +/- 324) ml. The total and hidden blood loss, blood transfusion amount between drain-group and without drain-group was significantly different (P < 0.05). The difference in the incidence of infection and post-op recovery and correlative complications did not reach statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONSIn patients having primary TKA, using a drain, compared with no use of a drain, does not show us a clear advantage that make us accept it. Without a drain release could present an effective and economic method for reducing blood loss and preventing blood transfusion in patients undergoing unilateral TKA.