Pre-operative transfusions are associated with numerous post-operative complications in total hip arthroplasty

Primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) is among the most common surgical procedures and known to potentially cause significant blood loss. In total, 74,814 patients from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Project Database were studied. Complications were divided into post-operative and non-operative complications. Pre-operative transfusion in THA patients was found to be an independent predictor of infection (OR: 5.41), pneumonia (OR: 2.66), failure to wean (OR: 13.84), urinary tract infection (OR: 3.42), cardiac arrest (OR: 5.83), and transfusion post-operatively (OR: 5.94). Future medical decisions in primary THA cases should entail a careful risk-benefit and close monitoring in order to prevent complications.