Background: Blood loss during total knee replacement is a major concern for the operating surgeon as well as the patients. Various techniques have been adopted to reduce the blood loss and its consequent complications during the intra-operative and post-operative period. Of the various methods, tranexamic acid and autologous blood transfusions are widely used. There is however a paucity of data...

Autologous blood is defined as blood drawn from one individual to be given back to that individual as the need for transfusion arises. The Canadian Red Cross has provided autologous blood donation to healthy donors for the last decade. To participate in this program, patients must essentially meet regular blood donor criteria, thus excluding patients with cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic,...

BACKGROUND The most common cause of shock in the surgical or trauma patient is hemorrhage. Crystalloid solutions and blood transfusion are the mainstays of treatment of hemorrhagic shock. Considering the disadvantages of allogeneic blood transfusion, such as risk of transmission of infectious diseases, and access and maintenance limitations, treatment of shock with autologous blood seems to be ...