Blood Loss in Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgery: Is it Clinically Important?

Abstract

Background The blood loss associated with arthroscopic surgery has generally been considered to be minimal and not clinically relevant. However, there are currently no data available in the published literature to support this assumption. Methods The present prospective study used spectrophotometry of collected irrigation fluid to measure the blood loss associated with a variety of arthroscopic shoulder procedures conducted in 20 patients. Results Measured blood loss ranged from 1.22 mL to 36.45 mL. This confirmed that, even in lengthy arthroscopic procedures without a tourniquet, blood loss is minimal. Conclusions The results obtained in the present study confirm the presumed advantage of arthroscopic surgery in terms of blood loss, and also confirm that the full range of arthroscopic shoulder surgery can be safely performed, from a haemodynamic perspective, as day case procedures.

Longer Operative Time and the Use of Anticoagulants Are Associated With Increased Blood Loss in Elderly Patients Undergoing Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair

“…Griffiths et al. 8 reported that the blood loss associated with arthroscopic surgery of his series was a maximum Hgb drop of 0.088 g/dL, with a mean blood loss of 0.035 g/dL. The minor blood loss is presumably because their study included surgery such as simple subacromial decompression.…”

Impact of intra-articular injection with tranexamic acid on total blood loss and postoperative pain after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair surgery

“…As concepts and techniques improve, the number of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) interventions is increasing (3). Based on a previous research, it has been long believed that ARCR leads to only minimal blood loss (4). However, recent study by Liu et al (5) reported that on the first postoperative day the estimated blood loss was approximately 300 ml, and the mean serum hemoglobin decreased by approximately 10 g/L.…”