Abstract Background Classic wound drainage is still common in hip replacement but its benefit is doubtful. The role of systemic administration of proteinase inhibitors like aprotinin to avoid perioperative blood loss is still unclear. Patients and Methods In a prospective randomized trial, the perioperative blood loss in alloplastic hip replacement under the influence of proteinase inhibitor (aprotinin, Trasylol ® ) using wound drainage as well as compression treatment alone were compared. 80 patients were prospectively randomized in 4 arms. Patients received either aprotinin or placebo during surgery as well as drainage or targeted external wound compression. Results Observing the "drug therapy" aprotinin had no effect on the intraor postoperative blood loss (p > 0.05), a trend to lower postoperative hemoglobin decline was found, but without significance. thrombosis occurred in neither the aprotinin nor in the placebo group. Two patients had a severe allergic drug reaction and were excluded from the study. Under "non drug therapy" with compression therapy and wound drainage a significant difference in blood loss was found (p