Does epinephrine use reduce perioperative blood loss during pelvic and femoral osteotomy with open reduction of the patients with developmental dysplasia of the hip?

OBJECTIVESIn this study, we aimed to investigate whether the use of epinephrine solution-impregnated gauzes and irrigation fluid with epinephrine could reduce perioperative blood loss during the combined surgical treatment of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) patients. PATIENTS AND METHODSBetween January 2018 and June 2023, a total of 68 pediatric patients (8 males, 60 females; mean age: 32.4±13.2 months; range, 18 to 98 months) who underwent combined surgery for DDH were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups as those who used topical epinephrine in the surgical sites during combined surgical treatment (n=34) and those who did not (n=34). Demographic and clinical characteristics and pre-, intra-, and postoperative data were recorded. To avoid transfusion complications, blood transfusion was performed in only symptomatic patients in the postoperative period. RESULTSAge, sex, weight, and surgical duration were similar between the two groups (p>0.05). No statistically significant difference was found between the groups in terms of preoperative hemoglobin and hematocrit levels (p>0.05) There were statistically significantly differences between the groups in terms of postoperative hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, perioperative amount of blood loss, and postoperative length of hospital stay (p0.05). The differences in perioperative and estimated intraoperative blood loss amounts and length of hospital stay were statistically significant between the groups (p