Cost Minimization Analysis of Preoperative Erythropoietin vs Autologous and Allogeneic Blood Donation in Total Joint Arthroplasty

Autologous blood donation and erythropoietin (EPO) have been shown to be effective in reducing allogeneic blood transfusion, but the cost-effectiveness of these interventions remains unclear. A cost minimization analysis was performed, comparing the total costs of allogeneic blood transfusion strategy and autologous and allogeneic blood transfusion strategy for 161 primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) and 195 total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients. An EPO cost minimization model was constructed using a previously published algorithm for blood management after total joint arthroplasty. The least costly strategy was autologous blood donation in combination with allogeneic blood for THA and TKA patients at $856 and $892 per patient, respectively. The most costly strategy was allogeneic only at $1769 and $1352 per THA and TKA patient, respectively. The EPO strategy model predicted costs similar to the autologous and allogeneic. A strategy that combines autologous blood donation with EPO for patients who cannot donate autologous blood may provide the greatest cost savings and minimize allogeneic blood transfusion.