Effectiveness of different doses and routes of administration of tranexamic acid for total hip replacement

Effect of Oral + Topical and Only Topical Tranaxamic Acid Application on Blood Loss and Postoperative Transfusion in Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty

Objectives: Total hip arthroplasty is one of the most common procedures performed to reduce pain and improve hip functions in patients with advanced hip osteoarthritis, but perioperative blood loss, acute anemia and transfusion requirement increase the risk of morbidity and mortality during and after surgery and negatively affect functional recovery. We aimed to present the comparative results of oral + topical and only topical tranexamic acid application to reduce blood loss and postoperative transfusion in primary total hip arthroplasty. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the patients who applied to the Orthopedics and Traumatology outpatient clinic with complaints of hip pain and limited movement between January 2014 and December 2020, who underwent primary total hip arthroplasty with the diagnosis of coxarthrosis and who were administered oral + topical and only topical tranexamic acid before and during surgery, in terms of blood loss and transfusion requirement. Results: No statistically significant difference was observed between the preoperative, day 0 and day 1 hemoglobin means in those that were applied oral + topical tranexamic acid and those that were applied only topical (p > 0.05). However, the second- and third-day hemoglobin means in those that were treated with topical medication alone were found to be statistically significantly lower than in those that were treated with oral + topical tranexamic acid (p = 0.032, p = 0.0001). Conclusions: Oral + topical tranexamic acid application in total hip arthroplasty surgery is more effective than topical applications alone when it comes to reducing blood loss, hemoglobin and hematocrit decrease without increasing the risk of thromboembolic diseases and wound complications.

The efficacy of tranexamic acid in primary anatomic and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty: A systematic review and meta-analysis of level I randomized controlled trials

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to systematically review the available level I evidence regarding the impact of tranexamic acid (TXA) on early postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA).

Methods

A systematic review of the literature through April 2023 was performed to identify level I RCTs examining the use of TXA at the time of primary TSA or RTSA.

Results

Among 5 included studies, a total of 435 patients (219 TXA, 216 control) were identified. Superior hematologic outcomes were observed among the TXA cohort, including lower 24-hour drain output (MD -112.70 mL: p < 0.001), lower pre- to postoperative change in hemoglobin (MD: -0.68 g/dL, p < 0.001), and less total perioperative blood loss (MD: -249.56 mL, p < 0.001). Postoperative Visual Analog Scale for pain (VAS-pain) scores were lower in the TXA group, but not significantly (MD: -0.46, p = 0.17). Postoperative blood transfusion was required in 3/219 TXA patients (1.4%) and 7/216 control patients (3.2%) (RR: 0.40, p = 0.16).

Conclusion

Perioperative TXA reduces drain output and total blood loss without increasing the risk of adverse events. TXA was not shown to decrease postoperative transfusion rates when compared to placebo controls.

Level of Evidence

Level I, meta-analysis.

Enhancing postoperative recovery in total hip arthroplasty: the role of pericapsular nerve group and lateral cutaneous nerve block under spinal anaesthesia

AIM OF THE STUDY

To compare the efficacy of spinal anaesthesia alone versus spinal anesthesia augmented with ultrasound-guided pericapsular nerve group (PENG) block combined with lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (LFCN) block in improving perioperative analgesia and functional recovery in patients undergoing THA.

METHODS

In a prospective, randomized clinical trial we included 66 patients scheduled for THA were divided into two groups: one receiving spinal anaesthesia alone (SA group; n = 32) and the other receiving spinal anaesthesia with regional analgesia blocks PENG + LFCN (SRAB group; n = 34). In the SRAB group, PENG followed by LFCN blocks were administered under ultrasound guidance before spinal anaesthesia.

RESULTS

There were significant differences between the two groups in the onset of postoperative pain (p < 0.01) and the total amount of analgesics required in the first 36 postoperative hours (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

The combined approach of spinal anaesthesia with PENG and LFCN blockade, enables opioid-free analgesia and may contribute to a safer and more comfortable postoperative experience for THA patients.

A comparative study on hemostasis effect of different application methods and time of tranexamic acid in total hip arthroplasty

OBJECTIVES

To analyze the hemostatic effect of different application methods and time of tranexamic acid (TXA) on primary unilateral total hip arthroplasty.

METHODS

A total of 126 patients with primary unilateral total hip replacement admitted between January 2019 and January 2021 were recruited. The patients were divided into three groups (42 people in each group) by random number table method. In group I, 2.0 g TXA was perfused locally into the hip joint cavity through the drainage tube for 2 h. Group II was perfused locally with the same method for 4 h. Group III was given TXA 15 mg/kg intravenously 5-10 min before surgical incision. The hemoglobin concentration, red blood cell (RBC) count, international normalized ratio (INR), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen (FIB), D-Dimer (D-D), intraoperative blood loss, postoperative blood loss, implicit blood loss, total blood loss, postoperative blood transfusion and complications were compared.

RESULTS

The postoperative drainage volume of group I (195.07 ± 34.65) mL and group II (199.62 ± 38.07) mL was significantly lower than that of group III (213.12 ± 25.05) mL (P = 0.037). There was no significant difference in postoperative drainage between group I and group II (P > 0.05). There was no significant difference in intraoperative blood loss, hidden blood loss and total blood loss between the three groups (P > 0.05). There was no difference in the incidence of deep vein thrombosis among the three groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

TXA is a safe and effective way of hemostasis in total hip arthroplasty. Local intraarticular application of TXA can reduce the postoperative drainage, but the difference is not clinically significant, probably due to the number of samples. There is no difference in the postoperative drainage after local application of 2 or 4 h, and there is no difference in the overall hemostasis effect between intravenous or local application of TXA.

Topical Use of Low-dose Tranexamic Acid Has no Effect on Drainage Volume after Medial Open Wedge High Tibial Osteotomy: A Case Control Study

OBJECTIVE

Many studies reported that tranexamic acid (TXA) was effective in reducing surgical blood loss in the perioperative period of medial open wedge high tibial osteotomy (MOWHTO). However, few studies focused on the simple topical use of TXA in MOWHTO, and the modality and dosage of topical use of TXA varied. The purpose of this study was to observe the effect of topical use of low-dose TXA on drainage volume after MOWHTO, and to analyze the related influencing factors.

METHODS

Data of patients who underwent MOWHTO combined with arthroscopic knee surgery in our department from January 2019 to September 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 105 patients (38 males and 67 females, aged 57.7 ± 7.5 years) were included in this study who received topical TXA or no TXA. The patients were divided into three groups: control group (39 cases), 0.5 g TXA group (40 cases), 1 g TXA group (26 cases). Postoperative drainage volume, wound healing, incidence of hematoma and deep venous thrombosis (DVT) were observed and analyzed in the three groups. The effects of gender, hypertension and diabetes on postoperative drainage volume were analyzed using a t-test. The correlation between age, body mass index (BMI), osteotomy gap and postoperative drainage volume were analyzed using the Pearson correlation coefficient.

RESULTS

The average postoperative drainage volume of the control group was 259.54 ± 226.33 mL, that of the 0.5 g TXA group was 277.18 ± 177.68 mL, and that of the 1 g TXA group was 229.15 ± 219.93 mL. There was no statistically significant difference in postoperative drainage volume among the three groups (F = 0.423, p = 0.656). There was no local hematoma and wound infection in the three groups. The wound fat liquefaction was found in one patient of the control group. The incidence of DVT was 38.9% (7/18) and 57.1% (8/14) in the control group and 0.5 TXA group, respectively. There was no significant difference in the incidence of DVT between the above two groups (p = 0.476). The average postoperative drainage volume of male patients in the three groups was higher than that of female patients, and the differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05). There was no correlation between age, BMI, osteotomy gap and postoperative drainage volume in the three groups (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Topical use of low-dose TXA has no significant effect on drainage volume after MOWHTO. The drainage volume after MOWHTO in male patients was more than that in female patients. Topical administration of low-dose TXA does not increase postoperative complications, such as DVT and hematoma.

Determining the Effect of Intraoperative TXA on Postoperative Blood Loss in ACDF

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study using prospectively collected data.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effectiveness of intraoperative tranexamic acid (TXA) in anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) on postoperative blood loss.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

TXA has been proven to be a safe and effective agent in reducing blood loss after cervical surgery; however, its efficacy when used intraoperatively for ACDF surgeries had yet to be researched. Currently, there are few studies examining the effects of intraoperative TXA in cervical spinal fusion, and none specifically examining TXA use in ACDF.

METHODS

A tertiary medical center's prospectively collected spine registry was queried between 1/1/18 and 12/1/21 for all patients who underwent elective ACDF surgery and received a drain postoperatively. Patients were separated into 2 groups; those who had received intraoperative TXA and those who did not. Baseline demographic and operative variables were collected from the registry. The primary outcome was postoperative blood loss over a 24-hour period. Secondary outcomes included total drain output, intraoperative estimated blood loss, operative duration, drain duration, changes in preoperative to postoperative hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, and rate of transfusions, complications, revisions, and reoperations. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed.

RESULTS

Two hundred eighty-six patients were included. One hundred ninety patients underwent ACDF and did not receive intraoperative TXA, whereas 96 patients underwent ACDF and did receive TXA. There were no differences in any demographic or baseline variables. Multivariate analysis showed intraoperative TXA was associated with shorter drain duration (β=-5.74, 95% CI: -10.9 to -0.53, P =0.031) and reduction in 24-hour drain output (β=-12.2, 95% CI: -19.4 to -4.89, P =0.001) and total drain output (β=-14.0, 95% CI: -22.9 to -5.05, P =0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

TXA use during ACDF procedures leads to a decrease in perioperative blood loss and faster drain removal. TXA is an effective and safe agent for reducing perioperative blood loss in ACDF surgery.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.

Pharmacological interventions for the prevention of bleeding in people undergoing elective hip or knee surgery: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Hip and knee replacement surgery is a well-established means of improving quality of life, but is associated with a significant risk of bleeding. One-third of people are estimated to be anaemic before hip or knee replacement surgery; coupled with the blood lost during surgery, up to 90% of individuals are anaemic postoperatively. As a result, people undergoing orthopaedic surgery receive 3.9% of all packed red blood cell transfusions in the UK. Bleeding and the need for allogeneic blood transfusions has been shown to increase the risk of surgical site infection and mortality, and is associated with an increased duration of hospital stay and costs associated with surgery. Reducing blood loss during surgery may reduce the risk of allogeneic blood transfusion, reduce costs and improve outcomes following surgery. Several pharmacological interventions are available and currently employed as part of routine clinical care.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the relative efficacy of pharmacological interventions for preventing blood loss in elective primary or revision hip or knee replacement, and to identify optimal administration of interventions regarding timing, dose and route, using network meta-analysis (NMA) methodology.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the following databases for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and systematic reviews, from inception to 18 October 2022: CENTRAL (the Cochrane Library), MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), CINAHL (EBSCOhost), Transfusion Evidence Library (Evidentia), ClinicalTrials.gov and WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP).

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included RCTs of people undergoing elective hip or knee surgery only. We excluded non-elective or emergency procedures, and studies published since 2010 that had not been prospectively registered (Cochrane Injuries policy). There were no restrictions on gender, ethnicity or age (adults only). We excluded studies that used standard of care as the comparator. Eligible interventions included: antifibrinolytics (tranexamic acid (TXA), aprotinin, epsilon-aminocaproic acid (EACA)), desmopressin, factor VIIa and XIII, fibrinogen, fibrin sealants and non-fibrin sealants.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We performed the review according to standard Cochrane methodology. Two authors independently assessed trial eligibility and risk of bias, and extracted data. We assessed the certainty of the evidence using CINeMA. We presented direct (pairwise) results using RevMan Web and performed the NMA using BUGSnet. We were interested in the following primary outcomes: need for allogenic blood transfusion (up to 30 days) and all-cause mortality (deaths occurring up to 30 days after the operation), and the following secondary outcomes: mean number of transfusion episodes per person (up to 30 days), re-operation due to bleeding (within seven days), length of hospital stay and adverse events related to the intervention received.

MAIN RESULTS

We included a total of 102 studies. Twelve studies did not report the number of included participants; the other 90 studies included 8418 participants. Trials included more women (64%) than men (36%). In the NMA for allogeneic blood transfusion, we included 47 studies (4398 participants). Most studies examined TXA (58 arms, 56%). We found that TXA, given intra-articularly and orally at a total dose of greater than 3 g pre-incision, intraoperatively and postoperatively, ranked the highest, with an anticipated absolute effect of 147 fewer blood transfusions per 1000 people (150 fewer to 104 fewer) (53% chance of ranking 1st) within the NMA (risk ratio (RR) 0.02, 95% credible interval (CrI) 0 to 0.31; moderate-certainty evidence). This was followed by TXA given orally at a total dose of 3 g pre-incision and postoperatively (RR 0.06, 95% CrI 0.00 to 1.34; low-certainty evidence) and TXA given intravenously and orally at a total dose of greater than 3 g intraoperatively and postoperatively (RR 0.10, 95% CrI 0.02 to 0.55; low-certainty evidence). Aprotinin (RR 0.59, 95% CrI 0.36 to 0.96; low-certainty evidence), topical fibrin (RR 0.86, CrI 0.25 to 2.93; very low-certainty evidence) and EACA (RR 0.60, 95% CrI 0.29 to 1.27; very low-certainty evidence) were not shown to be as effective compared with TXA at reducing the risk of blood transfusion. We were unable to perform an NMA for our primary outcome all-cause mortality within 30 days of surgery due to the large number of studies with zero events, or because the outcome was not reported. In the NMA for deep vein thrombosis (DVT), we included 19 studies (2395 participants). Most studies examined TXA (27 arms, 64%). No studies assessed desmopressin, EACA or topical fibrin. We found that TXA given intravenously and orally at a total dose of greater than 3 g intraoperatively and postoperatively ranked the highest, with an anticipated absolute effect of 67 fewer DVTs per 1000 people (67 fewer to 34 more) (26% chance of ranking first) within the NMA (RR 0.16, 95% CrI 0.02 to 1.43; low-certainty evidence). This was followed by TXA given intravenously and intra-articularly at a total dose of 2 g pre-incision and intraoperatively (RR 0.21, 95% CrI 0.00 to 9.12; low-certainty evidence) and TXA given intravenously and intra-articularly, total dose greater than 3 g pre-incision, intraoperatively and postoperatively (RR 0.13, 95% CrI 0.01 to 3.11; low-certainty evidence). Aprotinin was not shown to be as effective compared with TXA (RR 0.67, 95% CrI 0.28 to 1.62; very low-certainty evidence). We were unable to perform an NMA for our secondary outcomes pulmonary embolism, myocardial infarction and CVA (stroke) within 30 days, mean number of transfusion episodes per person (up to 30 days), re-operation due to bleeding (within seven days), or length of hospital stay, due to the large number of studies with zero events, or because the outcome was not reported by enough studies to build a network. There are 30 ongoing trials planning to recruit 3776 participants, the majority examining TXA (26 trials).

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

We found that of all the interventions studied, TXA is probably the most effective intervention for preventing bleeding in people undergoing hip or knee replacement surgery. Aprotinin and EACA may not be as effective as TXA at preventing the need for allogeneic blood transfusion. We were not able to draw strong conclusions on the optimal dose, route and timing of administration of TXA. We found that TXA given at higher doses tended to rank higher in the treatment hierarchy, and we also found that it may be more beneficial to use a mixed route of administration (oral and intra-articular, oral and intravenous, or intravenous and intra-articular). Oral administration may be as effective as intravenous administration of TXA. We found little to no evidence of harm associated with higher doses of tranexamic acid in the risk of DVT. However, we are not able to definitively draw these conclusions based on the trials included within this review.

The optimal regimen, efficacy and safety of tranexamic acid and aminocaproic acid to reduce bleeding for patients after total hip arthroplasty: A systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to evaluate the optimal regimen, efficacy and safety of tranexamic acid (TXA) and aminocaproic acid (EACA) for patients after total hip arthroplasty (THA).

METHODS

The network meta-analysis was guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guideline. The outcomes were total blood loss, transfusion rates, hemoglobin (HB) drop, and risk for pulmonary embolism (PE) or deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Subgroup analyses were performed among most effective regimens to determine the influences of timing and number of doses.

RESULTS

A total of 56 eligible RCTs with different regimens were assessed. For reducing total blood loss, all high doses of TXA and EACA except high dose of intra-articular (IA) TXA, as well as medium dose of combination of intravenous and intra-articular (combined IV/IA) TXA were most effective. All high doses of TXA, as well as medium dose of combined IV/IA TXA did not show inferiority in reducing transfusion rates and HB drop compared with other regimens. No regimens showed higher risk for PE or DVT compared with placebo, and no statistical differences were seen among most effective regimens in subgroup analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

As effective as high doses of EACA and TXA, medium dose (20-40 mg/kg or 1.5-3.0 g) of combined IV/IA TXA was enough to control bleeding for patients after THA without increasing risk for PE/DVT. TXA was at least 5 times more potent than EACA. Timing and number of doses had few influences on blood conserving efficacy.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level I.

Combination of Intravenous and Intra-Articular Application of Tranexamic Acid and Epsilon-Aminocaproic Acid in Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE

There were limited randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of epsilon-aminocaproic acid (EACA) versus tranexamic acid (TXA) in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The aim of the study was to compare the efficacy and safety of TXA and EACA in the combination of intravenous (IV) and intra-articular (IA) administration on reducing blood loss in patients following primary TKA.

METHODS

From January 2020 to January 2021, a total of 181 patients undergoing a primary unilateral TKA were enrolled in this prospective randomized controlled trial. Patients in the TXA group (n = 90) received 20 mg/kg of intravenous TXA preoperatively, 1 g of intra-articular TXA intraoperatively, and three doses of 20 mg/kg intravenous TXA at 0, 3, 6 h postoperatively. Patients in the EACA group (n = 91) received 120 mg/kg of intravenous EACA preoperatively, 2 g of intra-articular EACA intraoperatively, and three doses of 40 mg/kg intravenous EACA at 0, 3, 6 h postoperatively. The primary outcomes were total blood loss (TBL), transfusion rates and drop of hemoglobin (HB) level. The secondary outcomes included postoperative hospital stays and postoperative complications. The chi-square tests and Fisher's exact tests were utilized to compare categorical variables, while the independent-samples t-tests and Mann-Whitney tests were used to compare continuous variables.

RESULTS

The patients who received TXA averaged less TBL than the patients who received EACA (831.83 ml vs 1065.49 ml, P = 0.015), and HB drop in TXA group was generally less than that of EACA group on postoperative day 1 and 3 (20.84 ± 9.48 g/L vs 24.99 ± 9.40 g/L, P = 0.004; 31.28 ± 11.19 vs 35.46 ± 12.26 g/L, P = 0.047). The length of postoperative stays in EACA group was 3.66 ± 0.81 day, which is longer than 2.62 ± 0.68 day in TXA group (P < 0.001). No transfusions were required in either group. The risk of nausea and vomiting in TXA group was significantly higher than that in EACA group (11/90 vs 0/91, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Although the TBL and HB drop were slightly greater in EACA group, these results were not clinically important, given that no transfusions were required. EACA could be an alternative to TXA, especially for patients with severe nausea and vomiting after using TXA postoperatively. Further studies are needed to adjust dosage of EACA to make better comparison of the two drugs.

Perioperative Management in Shoulder Arthroplasty: A Review of Current Practice

Perioperative management for patients undergoing shoulder arthroplasty has evolved significantly over the years to reduce overt complications and improve patient outcomes. The groundwork for perioperative care encompasses initial patient selection and education strategies for achieving successful outcome. Multimodal pain management strategies have advanced patient care with the increased use of new regional/local anesthetics. In addition, complications resulting from blood loss and transfusions have been curtailed with the use of synthetic antifibrinolytic agents. It remains critical for shoulder arthroplasty surgeons to optimize patients during the perioperative period through various modalities to maximize functional progression, outcomes, and patient's satisfaction following shoulder arthroplasty.

Quality of life and cost-effectiveness analysis of topical tranexamic acid and fibrin glue in femur fracture surgery

Background

We assessed quality of life (QoL) of patients undergoing surgery for proximal femur fracture and performed a cost-effectiveness analysis of haemostatic drugs for reducing postoperative bleeding.

Methods

We analysed data from an open, multicentre, parallel, randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT) that assessed the efficacy and safety of tranexamic acid (TXA group) and fibrin glue (FG group) administered topically prior to surgical closure, compared with usual haemostasis methods (control group).

For this study we conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis of these interventions from the Spanish Health System perspective, using a time horizon of 12 months. The cost was reported in $US purchasing power parity (USPPP). We calculated the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) per QALY (quality-adjusted life-year).

Results

We included 134 consecutive patients from February 2013 to March 2015: 42 patients in the TXA group, 46 in the FG group, and 46 in the control group. Before the fracture, EuroQol visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS) health questionnaire score was 68.6. During the 12 months post-surgery, the intragroup EQ-VAS improved, but without reaching pre-fracture values.

There were no differences between groups for EQ-VAS and EuroQol 5 dimensions 5 levels (EQ-5D-5L) health questionnaire score, nor in hospital stay costs or medical complication costs. Nevertheless, the cost of one FG treatment was significantly higher (399.1 $USPPP) than the cost of TXA (12.9 $USPPP) or usual haemostasis (0 $USPPP).

When comparing the cost-effectiveness of the interventions, FG was ruled out by simple dominance since it was more costly (13,314.7 $USPPP) than TXA (13,295.2 $USPPP) and less effective (utilities of 0.0532 vs. 0.0734, respectively). TXA compared to usual haemostasis had an ICER of 15,289.6 $USPPP per QALY).

Conclusions

There were no significant differences between the intervention groups in terms of postoperative changes in QoL. However, topical TXA was more cost-effective than FG or usual haemostasis.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02150720. Date of registration 30/05/2014. Retrospectively registered.

Intra-articular versus intravenous administration of tranexamic acid in lower limb total arthroplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials

AIM

The ideal route of tranexamic acid (TXA) administration in total hip arthroplasty (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA) remains controversial. This study aims to identify the optima route of TXA administration in THA or TKA.

METHODS

PUBMED, EMBASE, MEDLINE and CENTRAL database were systematically searched until 4 August 2021 for randomised studies that compared intravenous (IV) or intra-articular (IA) administration of TXA in THA or TKA.

RESULTS

Sixty-seven studies enrolling 8335 patients (IA: 4162; IV: 4173) were eligible for quantitative and qualitative analysis. Comparable results were demonstrated in the incidence of venous thromboembolisation (OR:0.96, p = 0.84), total blood loss (MD: - 9.05, p = 0.36), drain output (MD: - 7.36, p = 0.54), hidden blood loss (MD: - 6.85, p = 0.47), postoperative haemoglobin level (MD: 0.01, p = 0.91), haemoglobin drop (MD: - 0.10, p = 0.22), blood transfusion rate (OR: 0.99, p = 0.87), total adverse events (OR: 1.12, p = 0.28), postoperative range of motion (MD: 1.08, p = 0.36), postoperative VAS pain score (MD: 0.13, p = 0.24) and postoperative D-dimer level (MD: 0.61, p = 0.64). IV route of TXA administration was associated with significantly longer length of hospital stay compared to IA route of administration (MD: - 0.22, p = 0.01).

CONCLUSION

In this meta-analysis, both IV and IA route of TXA administration were equally effective in managing blood loss and postoperative outcomes in lower limb joints arthroplasty.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level 1. PROSPERO Registration CRD42021271355.

Tranexamic acid achieves less blood loss volume of in primary shoulder arthroplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis of level I randomized controlled trials

Background

Tranexamic acid (TXA) reduces blood loss in knee and hip arthroplasty, but the effectiveness in shoulder arthroplasty is unknown. This study aimed to evaluate current level I randomized controlled trials examining the efficacy of TXA in primary shoulder arthroplasty.

Methods

A protocol for the study was designed and registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021230398). The PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched using the following search strategy: "shoulder replacement" OR "shoulder arthroplasty" OR "reverse shoulder arthroplasty" AND "tranexamic acid." All randomized controlled trials were included in this study. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines was followed. Outcomes include blood loss, drain output, hemoglobin, thromboembolic complications, and blood transfusion.

Results

Five randomized controlled trials of 435 patients (219 patients in the TXA group and 216 patients in the non-TXA group) were included in the systematic review. The results indicated that the group using TXA had less total blood loss (MD, -249.56 mL; 95% confidence interval [CI] -347.60 to -151.52), less drainage output (MD, -113.72 mL; -155.92 to -71.52 95% CI), and less of a change in hemoglobin (MD, -0.68 g/dl; -0.94 to -0.42 g/dl 95% CI). No significant differences in blood transfusion (risk ratio 0.40; -0.11 to 1.45 95% CI) or thromboembolic events (risk ratio 0.13, 0.02 to 1.12 95% CI) were observed. Subgroup analyses showed that there was no significant difference in total blood loss, drainage output, or change in hemoglobin between single dose and multiple doses.

Conclusions

TXA in primary shoulder arthroplasty can reduce blood loss, drain output, and hemoglobin changes. Subgroup analysis showed that multiple TXA doses have similar results compared with single dose in primary shoulder arthroplasty. More randomized controlled trials comparing different administration routes of TXA in primary and revision shoulder arthroplasty are required.

A Systematic Review of Tranexamic Acid in Plastic Surgery: What's New?

BACKGROUND

Blood loss associated with surgical interventions can lead to several complications. Therefore, minimizing perioperative bleeding is critical to improve overall survival. Several interventions have been found to successfully reduce surgical bleeding, including the antifibrinolytic agent. After aprotinin was withdrawn from the market in 2008, TXA remained the most commonly used medication. The safety and efficacy of TXA has been well studied in other specialties. TXA has been rarely used in plastic surgery, except in craniofacial procedures. Since the last review, the number of articles examining the use of TXA has doubled; so the aim of this systematic review is to update the readers on the current knowledge and clinical recommendations regarding the efficacy of TXA in plastic surgical procedures.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was conducted in Medline, SciELO, Cochrane, and Google Scholar to evaluate all articles that discussed the use of TXA in plastic surgery in the fields of aesthetic surgery, burn care, and reconstructive microsurgery.

RESULTS

A total of 233 publications were identified using the search criteria defined above. After examination of titles and abstracts, and exclusion of duplicates, a total of 23 articles were selected for analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

The literature shows a clear benefit of using TXA to decrease blood loss regardless of the administration route, with no risk of thrombosis events. Also, TXA elicits a potent anti-inflammatory response with a decrease in postoperative edema and ecchymosis, which improves recovery time. Further investigations are needed to standardize the optimal administration route and dosage of TXA.