[Assessment of the use of transfusion therapy and complications in orthopedic surgery in patients with sickle-cell anemia: retrospective study].

Red blood cells (RBCs) transfusion is a common practice in the treatment or for the prevention of complications of patients with sickle-cell disease. In surgery, pre-operative transfusions are frequently given to prevent peri-operative complications. There is no consensus however on the best regimen of transfusion for this purpose. The transfusion techniques are muliple. In addition, pre-operative transfusion therapy is reported to be largely responsible for an increased morbidity and mortality in patients with sickle cell anemia undergoing surgery. During the period 1990-2000, 16 patients (4 men and 12 women) with a mean age of 37 years and various major sickle cell hemoglobinopathies underwent 32 total hip arthroplasty for femoral head necrosis. Nine patients with sickle-cell trait were included as control group. Twelve of them had haemoglobin SS (HbSS), 2/16 had HbSC, 2/16 had HbS/betathalassemia. Operative transfusion were given in only 12/32 procedures, 4 were performed pre-operatively and 8 intra-operatively. Simple transfusion (mean: 2.5 packed red cells) were administered in all the procedures. The main complications observed in our patients were anemia by hemolysis and haemorrhagic shock, vaso-occlusive crisis and chest syndrome. Anemia requiring transfusions was significatively related to the procedures with pre-operative transfusion. In the light of our result, we would like to propose transfusional protocol--if needed--only intra-operatively.