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. 2010 Apr 14;2010(4):CD001888. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD001888.pub4

Ritter 1994.

Methods A randomised, prospective study of patients undergoing primary total hip or total knee replacement over a six‐month period. Method of randomisation and allocation concealment were not described.
Participants 415 patients undergoing primary total hip or total knee replacement were randomly allocated to one of two groups:
  • Group 1 (Autotransfusion group): n=215

  • Group 2 (Control group): n=200


NB: Demographic data were not reported.
Interventions
  • Group 1: Autotransfusion group received unwashed, filtered autologous blood processed by the Solcotrans autotransfusion system.

  • Group 2: Control group had no drainage system.

Outcomes Outcomes reported: number of patients transfused allogeneic blood, amount of transfused blood, adverse events, knee flexion.
Notes Transfusion threshold: allogeneic blood was transfused if the haemoglobin level fell below 9.0g/dL.
Risk of bias
Bias Authors' judgement Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias) Unclear risk Method used to generate allocation sequences was not described.
Allocation concealment (selection bias) Unclear risk Method used to conceal treatment allocation was not described.
Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) 
 All outcomes High risk