Tranexamic acid given intraoperatively reduces blood loss after total knee replacement: a randomized, controlled study

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.

Clinical Outcomes Following Use of Tranexamic Acid in High Tibial Osteotomy: A Systematic Review

This study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes following administration of tranexamic acid (TXA) in patients undergoing high tibial osteotomy (HTO) through a systematic review of current available evidence. A systematic database search of PubMed, Embase and Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) was performed from inception up to December 2022, in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA). Inclusion criteria were (i) randomised control trials, cohort studies or case-control studies that had more than 10 patients; (ii) studies reporting outcomes after TXA administration, of any route, before or after HTO, compared to placebo, control and different doses or routes; and (iii) studies reporting blood loss, including haemoglobin (Hb) drop, estimated blood loss, transfusion requirement and complications. Case reports, reviews, abstracts, non-HTO studies, non-human studies and duplicates were excluded. A synthesized comparison of drain output, wound complications, transfusion requirement and pooled analyses of blood loss and Hb drop was performed. Eleven studies involving 974 patients were included. Nine studies had placebo comparison, and two used single-dose TXA versus multiple doses. All studies reported on postoperative hemoglobin and nine on blood loss. In the six TXA versus placebo studies reporting on total blood loss, the TXA group had a pooled, estimated standardised mean difference (SMD) in blood loss of -2.37 (95% confidence interval (CI) -3.67, -1.07; P = 0.0004). For the Hb drop, on postoperative days (PODs) one, two, and five, the SMDs were -0.97 (95% CI -1.19, -0.75; P < 0.00001) for POD1, -0.74 (95% CI -1.03, -0.46; P < 0.00001) for POD2 and -0.87 (95% CI -1.10, -0.64; P < 0.00001) for POD5. TXA administration in HTO significantly reduces perioperative blood loss. This can greatly improve recovery, reduce complications and shorten length of stay. This is especially pertinent given supply shortages of NHS blood resources.

Empiric tranexamic acid use provides no benefit in urgent orthopedic surgery following injury

Background

Orthopedic literature has demonstrated a significant decrease in postoperative transfusion requirements when tranexamic acid (TXA) was given during elective joint arthroplasty. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the empiric use of TXA in semi-urgent orthopedic procedures following injury. We hypothesized that TXA would be associated with increased rates of venous thromboembolic events (VTE) and have no effect on transfusion requirements.

Methods

Patients who empirically received TXA during a semi-urgent orthopedic surgery following injury (TXA+) were matched using propensity scoring to historical controls (CONTROL) who did not receive TXA. Outcomes included VTE within 6 months of injury and packed red blood cell utilization. Multivariable logistic regression and generalized linear modeling were used to determine odds of VTE and transfusion.

Results

200 patients were included in each group. There was no difference in mortality between groups. TXA+ patients did not have an increase in VTE events (OR 0.680, 95% CI 0.206 to 2.248). TXA+ patients had a significantly higher odds of being transfused during their hospital stay (OR 2.175, 95% CI 1.246 to 3.797) and during the index surgery (increased 0.95 units (SD 0.16), p<0.0001). Overall transfusion was also significantly higher in the TXA+ group (p=0.0021).

Conclusion

Empiric use of TXA in semi-urgent orthopedic surgeries did not increase the odds of VTE. Despite the elective literature, TXA administration did not associate with less transfusion requirements. A properly powered, prospective, randomized trial should be designed to elucidate the risks and benefits associated with TXA use in this setting.

Level of evidence

Level IV.

1,2,3-Triazole Derivatives as Novel Antifibrinolytic Drugs

Fibrinolysis is a natural process that ensures blood fluidity through the removal of fibrin deposits. However, excessive fibrinolytic activity can lead to complications in different circumstances, such as general surgery or severe trauma. The current antifibrinolytic drugs in the market, aminocaproic acid (EACA) and tranexamic acid (TXA), require high doses repetitively to maintain their therapeutic effect. These high doses are related to a number of side effects such as headaches, nasal symptoms, or gastrointestinal discomfort and severely limit their use in patients with renal impairment. Therefore, the discovery of novel antifibrinolytics with a higher specificity and lower dosage could vastly improve the applicability of these drugs. Herein, we synthesized a total of ten compounds consisting of a combination of three key moieties: an oxadiazolone, a triazole, and a terminal amine. The IC₅₀ of each compound was calculated in our clot lysis assays, and the best candidate (1) provided approximately a 2.5-fold improvement over the current gold standard, TXA. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics were used to perform a structure-activity relationship (SAR) analysis with the lysine binding site in the Kringle 1 domain of plasminogen. This analysis revealed that 1,2,3-triazole was crucial for the activity, enhancing the binding affinity through pi-pi stacking and polar interactions with Tyr72. The results presented in this work open the door to further investigate this new family as potential antifibrinolytic drugs.

Does the clamping method in local and systemic TXA applications in total knee arthroplasty change the game?: A retrospective comparative cohort study

Many different methods and drain clamping periods have been described in systemic and local tranexamic acid (TXA) applications, and the superiority of the methods to each other has not been clearly demonstrated. The method of local infusion in combined TXA applications may not alter the Hb drop or total or hidden blood loss. We aim to compare two different combined TXA application methods. We retrospectively analyzed 182 patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty between 2018 and 2021. Patients over 40 years of age who underwent TKA for degenerative knee arthritis were included in the study. Unicondylar, revision, or bilateral arthroplasties and patients with the cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease were excluded from the study. All patients in the study received 1 g TXA intravenously half an hour before the incision. For the first group, 1 g TXA was given intra-articularly at the drain site after closure, and the clamp was kept closed for 1 hour. In the second group, the drain was clamped for an additional 6 hours, and a 1 g intravenous dose was administered at the 5th hour postoperatively. No local applications were used in the control group. Total, hidden, and visible blood loss (total blood loss, hidden blood loss, visible blood loss), postoperative decreases in hemoglobin and hematocrit level (ΔHgb, ΔHtc), blood transfusion rates, and hospital stay durations were evaluated. There were 72 patients in the first group, 52 in the second, and 58 in control. A total of 37 patients received one or more blood transfusions postoperatively, and there was no statistical difference in the need for blood transfusions between the groups (P = .255). Although a statistically significant difference (P = .001) in total blood loss, hidden blood loss, visible blood loss and ΔHgb values was observed between the groups, the difference between the first and second groups was insignificant (P = .512). The duration of hospital stay was observed to be less in the first and second groups (P = .024). Local and systemic TXA applications were observed to be more effective than only systemic applications in reducing blood loss after total knee arthroplasty, regardless of the local method.

Evaluation of the safety of tranexamic acid use in pediatric patients undergoing spinal fusion surgery: a retrospective comparative cohort study

Background

Pediatric spinal fusion may be associated with significant intraoperative blood loss, leading to complications from transfusion, hypoperfusion and coagulopathy. One emerging strategy to mediate these risks is by utilization of the anti-fibrinolytic agent tranexamic acid (TXA). However, concerns regarding potential adverse reactions, specifically postoperative seizures and thrombotic events, still exist. To assess these risks, we examined the perioperative morbidity of TXA use in a large national database.

Methods

Retrospective data from pediatric patients (age 18 years or younger), discharged between January 2013 to December 2015, who underwent primary or revision posterior spinal fusions, was collected from the Premier Perspective database (Premier, Charlotte, NC). Patients were stratified by TXA use and records were assessed for complications of new onset seizures, strokes, pulmonary embolisms (PE) or deep vein thromboses (DVT) occurring during the perioperative period.

Results

In this cohort of 2,633 pediatric patients undergoing posterior spinal fusions, most often to treat adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, 15% received TXA. Overall, adverse events were rare in this patient population. The incidence of seizure, stoke, PE, or DVT in the control group was 0.54% (95% CI, 0.31% to 0.94%) and not significantly different from the TXA group. There was no significant difference in the incidence of DVTs, and no incidences of stroke in either group. There were no new-onset seizures or PEs in patients who received TXA.

Conclusions

The use of TXA was not associated with an increased risk of adverse events including seizure, stroke, PE, and DVT. Our findings support the safety of TXA use in pediatric patients undergoing spinal fusion surgery.

Effects of Tranexamic Acid on Hemorrhage Control and Deep Venous Thrombosis Rate After Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Background: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgery has a lot of complications, especially hemorrhage, which can be controlled via tranexamic acid (TXA). The guidelines endorse the integration of TXA interventions in the management of TKA-induced complications. However, uncertainty surrounds the effects of different TXA therapies. This frequentist model network meta-analysis (NMA) aims to compare hemorrhage control and deep venous thrombosis (DVT) rate of different TXA therapies in TKA.

Methods: Articles were searched with the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science from 1966 to October 2020. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing different TXA therapies, or with placebo in patients with TKA were included. Two investigators independently conducted article retrievals and data collection. The outcome was total blood loss and DVT rate. Effect size measures were mean differences (MDs), or odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We conducted a random-effects NMA using a frequentist approach to estimate relative effects for all comparisons and rank treatments according to the mean rank and surface under the cumulative ranking curve values. All analyses were performed in Stata software or R software. The study protocol was registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42020202404.

Results: We identified 1 754 citations and included 81 studies with data for 9 987 patients with TKA. Overall, all TXA therapies were superior to placebo for total blood loss in TKA. Of all TXA therapies, M therapy (IV/IV infusion + oral TXA > 3g) was most effective for total blood loss (MD=−688.48, −1084.04–−328.93), followed by F therapy (IV TXA ≥ 15 mg/kg or 1 g three times). TXA therapies in this study are not associated with the increase of DVT risk.

Conclusions: TXA therapies in this study are effective and safe for the treatment of TKA-induced complications. M therapy (IV/IV infusion + oral TXA > 3 g) may be the most effective TXA therapy for hemorrhage control. TXA therapies in this study do not increase DVT risk. Considering hemorrhage control and DVT rate simultaneously, F therapy (IV TXA ≥ 15 mg/kg or 1 g three times) may be suggested to apply for TKA, and this study may provide a crucial clue to future TXA use.

To Analyze the Role of Intravenous Tranexamic Acid in Hip Fracture surgeries in Orthopedic Trauma

INTRODUCTION

Hip fractures in orthopedic trauma cases are increasing. Majority of such patients undergoing surgery require blood transfusion of one or more units. Intravenous (I. V.) Tranexamic acid (TXA) may decrease loss of blood, decrease need of blood transfusion, and improve postoperative hemoglobin (Hb) along with lesser adverse effects. Risk of thromboembolic phenomena remains a concern. A study was done to analyze the role of I. V. TXA in hip fracture surgeries in trauma cases.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sixty patients were included in the study; in two groups (37 males and 23 females), Group A in which two doses of I. V. TXA 15 mg/kg were given and Group B in which two doses of I. V. placebo were given.

RESULTS

Total number of randomized hip arthroplasty cases was 22 (11 in Group A and 11 in Group B) whereas randomized osteosynthesis cases were 38 (19 in Group A and 19 in Group B). Mean preoperative Hb value in Group A was 10.8 gm% and in Group B was 10.7 gm% (P > 0.005. Mean postoperative Hb value in Group A was Hb 9.8 gm% and in Group B 9.5 gm% (difference of 3.061%). Mean duration of surgery in Group A was 64.2 min and in Group B was 66.3 min. Mean total blood loss (intraoperative and postoperative) in Group A was 384.6 ml and in Group B was 448.7 ml (14.29% less in Group A). A total of 14 patients in Group A (17 red blood cells [RBCs] units) and 17 patients (21 RBC units) in Group B required RBC transfusion. No major vascular event, severe bacterial infections, symptomatic deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, limb ischemia, acute coronary syndrome, or immediate postoperative mortality was noted in either group.

CONCLUSION

I. V. TXA has the potential to decrease risk of blood transfusion, decrease total blood loss, and to maintain a higher postoperative Hb value with no significant adverse reactions. As the number of cases of hip fractures continues to increase along with increase in age, so the use of TXA in such cases may improve clinical outcomes, lessen number of inpatient days and hence decrease overall cost.

Association of Intravenous Tranexamic Acid With Thromboembolic Events and Mortality: A Systematic Review, Meta-analysis, and Meta-regression

IMPORTANCE

Tranexamic acid (TXA) is an efficient antifibrinolytic agent; however, concerns remain about the potential adverse effects, particularly vascular occlusive events, that may be associated with its use.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the association between intravenous TXA and total thromboembolic events (TEs) and mortality in patients of all ages and of any medical disciplines.

DATA SOURCE

Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and MEDLINE were searched for eligible studies investigating intravenous TXA and postinterventional outcome published between 1976 and 2020.

STUDY SELECTION

Randomized clinical trials comparing intravenous TXA with placebo/no treatment. The electronic database search yielded a total of 782 studies, and 381 were considered for full-text review. Included studies were published in English, German, French, and Spanish. Studies with only oral or topical tranexamic administration were excluded.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS

Meta-analysis, subgroup and sensitivity analysis, and meta-regression were performed. This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) reporting guideline.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Vascular occlusive events and mortality.

RESULTS

A total of 216 eligible trials including 125 550 patients were analyzed. Total TEs were found in 1020 (2.1%) in the group receiving TXA and 900 (2.0%) in the control group. This study found no association between TXA and risk for total TEs (risk difference = 0.001; 95% CI, -0.001 to 0.002; P = .49) for venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, venous TEs, myocardial infarction or ischemia, and cerebral infarction or ischemia. Sensitivity analysis using the risk ratio as an effect measure with (risk ratio = 1.02; 95% CI, 0.94-1.11; P = .56) and without (risk ratio = 1.03; 95% CI, 0.95-1.12; P = .52) studies with double-zero events revealed robust effect size estimates. Sensitivity analysis with studies judged at low risk for selection bias showed similar results. Administration of TXA was associated with a significant reduction in overall mortality and bleeding mortality but not with nonbleeding mortality. In addition, an increased risk for vascular occlusive events was not found in studies including patients with a history of thromboembolism. Comparison of studies with sample sizes of less than or equal to 99 (risk difference = 0.004; 95% CI, -0.006 to 0.014; P = .40), 100 to 999 (risk difference = 0.004; 95% CI, -0.003 to 0.011; P = .26), and greater than or equal to 1000 (risk difference = -0.001; 95% CI, -0.003 to 0.001; P = .44) showed no association between TXA and incidence of total TEs. Meta-regression of 143 intervention groups showed no association between TXA dosing and risk for venous TEs (risk difference, -0.005; 95% CI, -0.021 to 0.011; P = .53).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Findings from this systematic review and meta-analysis of 216 studies suggested that intravenous TXA, irrespective of dosing, is not associated with increased risk of any TE. These results help clarify the incidence of adverse events associated with administration of intravenous TXA and suggest that TXA is safe for use with undetermined utility for patients receiving neurological care.

Complications of Tranexamic Acid in Orthopedic Lower Limb Surgery: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Objective

Tranexamic acid (TXA) is increasingly used in orthopedic surgery to reduce blood loss; however, there are concerns about the risk of venous thromboembolic (VTE) complications. The aim of this study was to evaluate TXA safety in patients undergoing lower limb orthopedic surgical procedures.

Design

A meta-analysis was performed on the PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases in January 2020 using the following string (Tranexamic acid) AND ((knee) OR (hip) OR (ankle) OR (lower limb)) to identify RCTs about TXA use in patients undergoing every kind of lower limb surgical orthopedic procedures, with IV, IA, or oral administration, and compared with a control arm to quantify the VTE complication rates.

Results

A total of 140 articles documenting 9,067 patients receiving TXA were identified. Specifically, 82 studies focused on TKA, 41 on THA, and 17 on other surgeries, including anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, intertrochanteric fractures, and meniscectomies. The intravenous TXA administration protocol was studied in 111 articles, the intra-articular in 45, and the oral one in 7 articles. No differences in terms of thromboembolic complications were detected between the TXA and control groups neither in the overall population (2.4% and 2.8%, respectively) nor in any subgroup based on the surgical procedure and TXA administration route.

Conclusions

There is an increasing interest in TXA use, which has been recently broadened from the most common joint replacement procedures to the other types of surgeries. Overall, TXA did not increase the risk of VTE complications, regardless of the administration route, thus supporting the safety of using TXA for lower limb orthopedic surgical procedures.

Effectiveness of administering tranexamic acid to high-risk hip and knee arthroplasty patients: a systematic review protocol

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this review is to assess the safety and effectiveness in administering tranexamic acid in high-risk hip and knee arthroplasty patients.

INTRODUCTION

Arthroplasty surgery is associated with a significant amount of perioperative blood loss. Tranexamic acid is an antifibrinolytic used to counteract blood loss. Although various studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of tranexamic acid without significant adverse effects, a majority of these studies have excluded high-risk patients. Due to this selection bias there is a lack of clear evidence of the safety of administering tranexamic acid in high-risk patients.

INCLUSION CRITERIA

This review will consider studies that included high-risk patients aged >18 years who had previous myocardial infarction including cardiac stents, deep vein thrombosis and/or pulmonary embolism, transient ischemic attacks and/or stroke and clotting disorders. No exclusions will be made for the dosing route of tranexamic acid. The outcomes measured will be 1) thromboembolic complications of deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, transient ischemic attacks, stroke, myocardial infarction and death; 2) requirements of blood transfusion and 3) the amount of blood loss.

METHODS

A search will be conducted in PubMed, Embase, Scopus and Web of Science databases with the results being reported in a PRISMA flow diagram. Selected studies will be critically appraised by two independent reviewers for methodological quality. Study and outcome quality will be reported using the GRADE approach. Data will be extracted using a standardized data extraction tool. Studies will, where possible, be pooled in statistical meta-analysis. Effect sizes will be expressed as either odds ratios (for dichotomous data) or standardized mean differences (for continuous data) and their 95% confidence intervals will be calculated for analysis.

Treatment recommendations for chronic knee osteoarthritis

Primary osteoarthritis (OA) hinders an aging global population as one of the leading causes of years-lost-to-disability (YLD). OA in most patients is considered to be an overuse injury that results in degenerative inflammation of the joints with the associated formation of bony outgrowths. Due to the escalating nature of this chronic pain disease, treatment management for OA can initially begin with a more conservative approach. It can eventually lead to more invasive surgical procedures. At present, the standard of care remains initial conservative management with lifestyle changes, including weight loss with concurrent anti-inflammatory regimens. Injections are frequently used for the escalation of care, but a significant number of patients ultimately resort to total knee arthroplasty. This review will focus specifically on knee OA, providing a brief overview of risk factors and early management and in-depth exploration of the invasive interventions that can offer symptomatic relief and return of function.

Effectiveness and safety of the use of antifibrinolytic agents in total-knee arthroplasty: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Antifibrinolytic agents have been successfully used to reduce blood transfusion demand in patients undergoing elective knee arthroplasty. The purpose of this study was to investigate different antifibrinolytic agents for patients undergoing total-knee arthroplasty (TKA).

METHODS

We searched the randomized controlled trials assessing the effect of antifibrinolytic agents on TKA in MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library. Participants are divided into antifibrinolytic agent group and control group under TKA. Double extraction technology is used and the quality of its methodology is evaluated before analysis. Outcomes analyzed included blood loss, number of blood transfusions, rates of blood transfusion, and deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

RESULTS

A total of 28 randomized controlled trials involving 1899 patients were included in this study. Compared with the control group, the antifibrinolytic agents group exhibited significantly reduced the amounts of total blood loss (weighted mean difference [WMD] with 95% confidence interval [CI]: -272.19, -338.25 to -206.4), postoperative blood loss (WMD with 95% CI: -102.83, -157.64 to -46.02), average units of blood transfusion (risk ratio with 95% CI: 0.7, 0.12 to 0.24), and average blood transfusion volumes (WMD with 95% CI: -1.34, -1.47 to -1,21). Antifibrinolytic agents significantly reduced the rate of blood transfusions and did not increase the occurrence risk of intraoperative blood loss and DVT. Several limitations should also be acknowledged such as the heterogeneity among the studies.

CONCLUSION

The application of antifibrinolytic agents can significantly reduce blood loss and blood transfusion requirements. Additionally, these agents did not increase the risk of DVT in patients undergoing TKAs.

Intravenous Tranexamic Acid Safely and Effectively Reduces Transfusion Rates in Revision Total Knee Arthroplasties

BACKGROUND

The efficacy and safety of tranexamic acid (TXA) in primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) have been well established. However, there have been limited data for revision TKAs. The primary aim was to assess the impact of intravenous TXA on transfusion rates and symptomatic venous thromboembolic events (VTEs) in a large revision TKA cohort with or without intravenous TXA utilization.

METHODS

A retrospective review of revision TKAs performed from 2005 to 2014 was performed, identifying 2,951 procedures (2,219 patients), in which TXA was utilized in 1,144 procedures (39%). The mean age was 65 years with 52% female patients in the TXA revision group and 67 years with 52% female patients in the non-TXA revision group. Transfusion rates and symptomatic VTEs were the primary outcomes assessed. Comparisons were performed between cohorts, utilizing a unique propensity model to mitigate bias, on the basis of TXA use and subsequently for aseptic or septic revision etiology.

RESULTS

Significant reductions in transfusion rates with use of TXA were identified in revision TKAs overall (13% compared with 39%; p < 0.001 [adjusted relative risk, 1.7]), including revisions for both aseptic etiology (6% with TXA compared with 28% without TXA; p < 0.001) and septic etiology (31% with TXA compared with 54% without TXA; p < 0.001). The risk of a postoperative symptomatic VTE was not significantly different (adjusted p = 0.63) with use of TXA at 11 events (1.0%) compared with 24 events (1.3%) in the non-TXA group).

CONCLUSIONS

Intravenous TXA significantly reduced transfusion rates in revision TKAs by approximately twofold, including cohorts revised for aseptic and septic etiologies. There was a very low rate of VTEs (1.2%) with no significant difference in the number of VTEs between groups after adjusting risk utilizing propensity modeling.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Tranexamic Acid Administration Is Not Associated With an Increase in Complications in High-Risk Patients Undergoing Primary Total Knee or Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Retrospective Case-Control Study of 38,220 Patients

BACKGROUND

Tranexamic acid (TXA) administration to reduce postoperative blood loss and transfusion is a well-established practice for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA). However, clinical concerns remain about the safety of TXA in patients with a history of a prothrombotic condition. We sought to determine the risk of complications between high-risk and low-risk TKA and THA patients receiving TXA.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 38,220 patients (8877 high-risk cases) who underwent primary TKA and THA between 2011 and 2017 at our institution. Intravenous TXA was administered in 20,501 (54%) of cases. The rates of thrombotic complications (deep vein thrombosis [DVT], pulmonary embolism [PE], myocardial infarction [MI], and cerebrovascular accident [CVA]) as well as mortality and readmission were assessed at 90 days postoperatively. Additionally, we evaluated 90-day postoperative occurrence of DVT and PE separate from occurrence of MI and CVA. Patients were categorized as high risk if they had a past medical history of a prothrombotic condition prior to surgery.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in the odds of these adverse outcomes between high-risk patients who received TXA and high-risk patients who did not receive TXA (odds ratio [OR] 1.00, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.85-1.18). There were also no differences when evaluating the odds of 90-day postoperative DVT and PE (OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.59-1.19) nor MI and CVA (OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.56-1.49) for high-risk patients receiving TXA vs high-risk patients who did not receive TXA.

CONCLUSION

TXA administration to high-risk TKA and THA patients is not associated with a statistically significant difference in adverse outcomes. We present incremental evidence in support of TXA administration for high-risk patients undergoing primary arthroplasties.

Does Prophylactic Administration of TXA Reduce Mean Operative Time and Postoperative Blood Loss in Posterior Approach Lumbar Spinal Fusion Surgery Performed for Degenerative Spinal Disease?

STUDY DESIGN

This is a level III retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate association between prophylactic tranexamic acid (TXA) administration before 1 and 2-level posterior lumbar interbody fusion operations and perioperative blood loss (including intraoperative blood loss and postoperative drain output), mean operative time, postoperative transfusion, and postoperative venous thromboembolic events.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

TXA is a systemic antifibrinolytic that competitively inhibits lysine binding sites on plasminogen, reversibly blocking its binding to fibrin and impeding fibrinolysis and clot degradation. TXA's role in routine spinal surgery remains poorly described. Most spinal literature on perioperative TXA administration has considered operations performed for major adult and pediatric spinal deformity.

METHODS

Two groups, a study group composed of 75 patients who underwent 1 and 2-level posterior lumbar interbody fusion operations for degenerative indications who received TXA before the start of the procedure, and a control group composed of 75 patients who underwent similar surgeries for the same indications and did not receive TXA preoperatively, were retrospectively enrolled. Demographic, laboratory, and surgical data were collected and analyzed.

RESULTS

No statistically significant differences were found between groups with respect to surgery type, home anticoagulation, postoperative anticoagulation, preoperative hemoglobin and hematocrit, estimated intraoperative blood loss, postoperative day 2 drain output, postoperative day 3 drain output, rate of postoperative transfusion, and rate of postoperative thromboembolic events. Statistically significant reductions were noted in the TXA group with regards to postoperative day 1 drain output (P<0.0041), total postoperative drain output (P=0.027), and mean surgical time (P<0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

In the present study, perioperative TXA administration was associated with reduced postoperative drain output and surgical time. Further higher-level studies are required to investigate the safety and utility of TXA's routine use in 1 and 2-level posterior lumbar fusion operations performed for degenerative indications.

Intra-Articular Injection of Tranexamic Acid on Perioperative Blood Loss During Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty

Background

Tranexamic acid (TXA) is safe and effective in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for the prevention of bleeding. However, the role of TXA during unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) remains unclear. This study aimed to compare operative blood loss in patients undergoing UKA treated with an intra-articular injection of TXA with controls undergoing UKA without TXA.

Material/Methods

The prospective study included 101 patients who underwent UKA between January 2014 to March 2018. All patients completed a preoperative routine examination and were randomized to the study group (n=54) and the control group (n-47). The study group was given an articular injection of TXA (1.5 g in 50 ml normal saline) after the fascia was closed; the control group was injected with the same volume of normal saline. Blood volumes were measured from the drainage tube of the two groups during 48 hours. Total blood loss, postoperative drainage, hidden blood loss, blood transfusion rates, postoperative hemoglobin values, indicators of coagulation function, and the rates of wound complications were recorded.

Results

Total blood loss in the study group was 745.6±105.1 ml, total drainage volume was 353.9±79.5 ml, and the hidden blood loss was 391.7±80.5 ml, which were all significantly lower when compared with the control group (P<0.05). None of the patients in the two groups suffered complications of surgery.

Conclusions

Intra-articular injection of TXA significantly reduced the total blood loss in patients who underwent UKA and did not increase the rate of complications.

The Use of Tranexamic Acid to Reduce Surgical Blood Loss: A Review Basic Science, Subspecialty Studies, and The Evolution of Use in Spine Deformity Surgery

Significant blood loss is often seen in orthopedic surgeries, especially complex spinal procedures that constitute long surgical times, large incisions, and rich blood supplies. Tranexamic acid (TXA), a synthetic analog of the amino acid lysine, has proven to be a cost-effective method in decreasing transfusion rates and avoiding complications associated with low blood volume. Recent data on TXA's use in spine surgery suggest that TXA remains both efficacious and safe, although the ideal dosing and timing of administration is still a point of disagreement. The purpose of this study is to review the literature for the use of TXA in spine surgery to better understand its safety profile and ideal dosage. This narrative review on TXA was conducted on prospective orthopedic studies that used TXA in spine deformity surgery. TXA in adult and pediatric spine surgery has decreased intraoperative and postoperative blood loss, decreasing the need for blood transfusions. The most common dose in the literature is a 10 mg/kg loading dose, followed by 1 mg/kg per hour. Although the proper dosing of TXA for spine surgery remains debatable, studies have proven that TXA is effective at reducing blood loss without increasing the risk of thrombotic events.

Use of Intravenous Tranexamic Acid to Reduce Allogeneic Blood Transfusion in Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty: A Meta-analysis

Total hip or knee arthroplasty is associated with significant blood loss. Techniques such as the use of antifibrinolytics or desmopressin, or normovolaemic haemodilution have been used to reduce the need for allogeneic blood transfusion. Tranexamic acid has been used to reduce blood loss and transfusion requirement for total hip and knee arthroplasty, with variable results. This meta-analysis aims to evaluate whether intravenous tranexamic acid, when compared with placebo, reduces blood loss and transfusion requirement in total hip and knee joint replacement surgery and whether it might increase the risk of thromboembolic complications. The literature search was based on MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, and information from the pharmaceutical company that produces tranexamic acid (Pharmacia-Upjohn). We identified 15 clinical trials and 12 were considered suitable for detailed data extraction. Tranexamic acid reduces the proportion of patients requiring allogeneic blood transfusion (OR 0.16, 95% CI: 0.09–0.26), total amount of blood loss (WMD 460 ml, 95% CI: 274–626 ml), and the total number of units of allogeneic blood transfused (WMD 0.85 unit, 95% CI: 0.36–1.33). Tranexamic acid does not increase the risk of thromboemobolic complications such as deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, thrombotic cerebral vascular accident, or myocardial infarction (OR 0.98, 95% CI: 0.45–2.12). Intravenous tranexamic acid appears effective and safe in reducing allogeneic blood transfusion and blood loss in total hip and knee arthroplasty.

Safety of intravenous tranexamic acid in patients undergoing majororthopaedic surgery: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

Among the various pharmacological options to decrease peri-operative bleeding, tranexamic acid appears to be one of the most interesting. Several trials have consistently documented the efficacy of this synthetic drug in reducing the risk of blood loss and the need for allogeneic blood transfusion in patients undergoing total hip and knee arthroplasty. The safety of intravenous tranexamic acid in major orthopaedic surgery, particularly regarding the risk of venous thromboembolism, was systematically analysed in this review. A systematic search of the literature identified 73 randomised controlled trials involving 4,174 patients and 2,779 controls. The raw overall incidence of venous thromboembolism was 2.1% in patients who received intravenous tranexamic acid and 2.0% in controls. A meta-analytic pooling showed that the risk of venous thromboembolism in tranexamic acid-treated patients was not significantly different from that of controls (risk difference: 0.01%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.05%, 0.07%; risk ratio: 1.067, 95% CI: 0.760-1.496). Other severe drug-related adverse events occurred very rarely (0.1%). In conclusion, the results of this systematic review and meta-analysis show that intravenous tranexamic acid is a safe pharmacological treatment to reduce blood loss and transfusion requirements in patients undergoing major orthopaedic surgery.

Exclusion criteria and adverse events in perioperative trials of tranexamic acid: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Tranexamic acid (TXA) is an inexpensive therapy effective at minimizing perioperative blood loss and transfusion. However, it remains underutilized due to safety concerns. To date, no evidence-based guidelines exist identifying which patients should not receive TXA therapy. This study determined patient groups for whom safety information regarding TXA is lacking due to common exclusion from perioperative TXA trials.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

A systematic review searching the databases Medline, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and Clinicaltrials.gov was performed. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) administering systemic TXA perioperatively to elective or emergent surgery patients were eligible. Our primary outcome was to describe exclusion criteria of RCTs, and the secondary outcome was TXA safety. A descriptive synthesis of exclusion criteria was performed, and TXA safety was assessed by meta-analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 268 eligible RCTs were included. Meta-analysis showed that systemic TXA did not increase risk of adverse events compared to placebo or no intervention (relative risk, 1.05; 95% confidence interval, 0.99-1.12). Patient groups commonly excluded from perioperative TXA trials, and thus potentially lacking TXA safety data, were those with major comorbidities, a history of thromboembolism, medication use affecting coagulation, TXA allergy, and coagulopathy. Exclusion of patients with major comorbidities may not be necessary; we showed that the risk of adverse events was similar in studies that excluded patients with major comorbidities and those that did not.

CONCLUSION

Sufficient evidence exists to develop perioperative guidelines for TXA use in many populations. Further studies evaluating perioperative TXA use in patients with a history of thromboembolism are warranted.

Oral tranexamic acid reduces blood loss in total-knee arthroplasty: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Postoperative hemorrhage following total-knee arthroplasty (TKA) remains an important topic. The objective of the meta-analysis is to assess the effectiveness of oral antifibrinolytics for blood management in patients undergoing TKA.

METHODS

We searched Medline (1966 to August 2018), PubMed (1966 to August 2018), Embase (1980 to August 2018), ScienceDirect (1985 to August 2018), and the Web of Science (1995 to August 2018) for randomized control trials (RCTs). To assess the heterogeneity of study trial and determine the model for analysis (random-effect model or fixed-effect model), I tests and Chi-squared were conducted. We utilized the STATA 12.0 (StataCorp, College Station, TX) to perform all statistical analyses.

RESULTS

A total of 5 RCTs met our inclusion criteria. This meta-analysis shows that there are significant differences between the 2 groups regarding total blood loss, hemoglobin reduction, and transfusion rates. In addition, no adverse effects were identified in treatment groups.

CONCLUSION

The oral form of antifibrinolytics in TKA is able to significantly decrease blood loss, postoperative hemoglobin reduction, as well as transfusion requirements. No increased risk of postoperative complications was observed. Higher quality RCTs is necessary to confirm our finding.

The Efficacy of Tranexamic Acid in Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Network Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

A growing body of published research on tranexamic acid (TXA) suggests that it is effective in reducing blood loss and the risk for transfusion in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The purpose of this network meta-analysis was to evaluate TXA in primary TKA as the basis for the efficacy recommendations of the combined clinical practice guidelines of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Hip Society, Knee Society, and American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine on the use of TXA in primary total joint arthroplasty.

METHODS

We searched Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Reviews, Scopus, and Web of Science databases for publications before July 2017 on TXA in primary total joint arthroplasty. All included studies underwent qualitative and quantitative homogeneity testing. Direct and indirect comparisons were performed as a network meta-analysis, and results were tested for consistency.

RESULTS

After critical appraisal of the available 2113 publications, 67 articles were identified as representing the best available evidence. Topical, intravenous (IV), and oral TXA formulations were all superior to placebo in terms of decreasing blood loss and risk of transfusion, while no formulation was clearly superior. Use of repeat IV and oral TXA dosing and higher doses of IV and topical TXA did not significantly reduce blood loss or risk of transfusion. Preincision administration of IV TXA had inconsistent findings with a reduced risk of transfusion but no effect on volume of blood loss.

CONCLUSIONS

Strong evidence supports the efficacy of TXA to decrease blood loss and the risk of transfusion after primary TKA. No TXA formulation, dosage, or number of doses provided clearly improved blood-sparing properties for TKA. Moderate evidence supports preincision administration of IV TXA to improve efficacy.

The Safety of Tranexamic Acid in Total Joint Arthroplasty: A Direct Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Tranexamic acid (TXA) is effective in reducing blood loss in total joint arthroplasty (TJA), but concerns still remain regarding the drug's safety. The purpose of this direct meta-analysis was to evaluate and establish a basis for the safety recommendations of the combined clinical practice guidelines on the use of TXA in primary TJA.

METHODS

A search was completed for studies published before July 2017 on TXA in primary TJA. We performed qualitative and quantitative homogeneity testing and a direct comparison meta-analysis. We used the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score of 3 or greater as a proxy for patients at higher risk for complications in general and performed a meta-regression analysis to investigate the influence of comorbidity burden on the risk of arterial thromboembolic event and venous thromboembolic event (VTE).

RESULTS

Topical, intravenous, and oral TXA were not associated with an increased risk of VTE after TJA. In addition, meta-regression demonstrated that TXA use in patients with an ASA status of 3 or greater was not associated with an increased risk of VTE after total knee arthroplasty.

CONCLUSION

Although most studies included in our analysis excluded patients with a history of prior thromboembolic events, our findings support the lack of evidence of harm from TXA administration in patients undergoing TJA. Moderate evidence supports the safety of TXA in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty with an ASA score of 3 or greater. The benefits of using TXA appear to outweigh the potential risks of thromboembolic events even in patients with a higher comorbidity.

The efficacy of oral versus intravenous tranexamic acid in reducing blood loss after primary total knee and hip arthroplasty: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Blood management after arthroplasties has become a serious problem. The objective is to perform a meta-analysis to compare the efficacy and safety between oral tranexamic acid (TXA) and intravenous TXA for blood management in total knee and hip arthroplasty.

METHODS

We systematically searched randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Web of Science and Google scholar. Eligibility criteria: Patients: adult patients with end-stage joint osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteonecrosis of the femoral head, who prepared for TJA; Interventions: The experiential group received the intravenous form of TXA; Comparisons: Oral form of TXA; Outcomes: Total blood loss, hemoglobin reduction, transfusion requirements, duration of hospitalization, and thrombotic complications including deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE); Study design: Randomized control trials (RCTs) and non-RCT. Meta-analysis results were collected and analyzed by the software STATA 11.0. After testing for heterogeneity between studies, data were aggregated for random-effects models when necessary.

RESULTS

Four RCTs and 2 non-RCTs were included in the meta-analysis. The present meta-analysis revealed that there were no significant differences regarding total blood loss (WMD = -25.013, 95% CI: -51.002 to 0.977, P = .059), postoperative hemoglobin decline (WMD = -0.090, 95% CI: -0.205 to 0.024, P = .122), or transfusion rate (RD = -0.039, 95% CI: -0.080 to 0.002, P = .062) between the 2 groups.

CONCLUSION

Oral TXA shows comparable efficacy to that of the intravenous forms after total knee and hip arthroplasty. Due to the limited quality of evidence currently available, higher quality RCTs is necessary.

Pharmacologic Hemostatic Agents in Total Joint Arthroplasty-A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

BACKGROUND

Total knee and hip arthroplasties can be associated with substantial blood loss, affecting morbidity and even mortality. Two pharmacological antifibrinolytics, ε-aminocaproic acid (EACA) and tranexamic acid (TXA) have been used to minimize perioperative blood loss, but both have associated morbidity. Given the added cost of these medications and the risks associated with then, a cost-effectiveness analysis was undertaken to ascertain the best strategy.

METHODS

A cost-effectiveness model was constructed using the payoffs of cost (in United States dollars) and effectiveness (quality-adjusted life expectancy, in days). The medical literature was used to ascertain various complications, their probabilities, utility values, and direct medical costs associated with various health states. A time horizon of 10 years and a willingness to pay threshold of $100,000 was used.

RESULTS

The total cost and effectiveness (quality-adjusted life expectancy, in days) was $459.77, $951.22, and $1174.87 and 3411.19, 3248.02, and 3342.69 for TXA, no pharmacologic hemostatic agent, and EACA, respectively. Because TXA is less expensive and more effective than the competing alternatives, it was the favored strategy. One-way sensitivity analyses for probability of transfusion and myocardial infarction for all 3 strategies revealed that TXA remains the dominant strategy across all clinically plausible values.

CONCLUSION

TXA, when compared with no pharmacologic hemostatic agent and with EACA, is the most cost-effective strategy to minimize intraoperative blood loss in hip and knee total joint arthroplasties. These findings are robust to sensitivity analyses using clinically plausible probabilities.

Transfusion rate using intravenous tranexamic acid in hip revision surgery

INTRODUCTION

Hip revision surgery is associated with a high probability of the necessity for a blood transfusion. Different studies support the use of tranexamic acid (TXA) to decrease the rate of transfusions in primary hip surgery. Nevertheless, the use of this drug in hip revision surgery has not yet been widely accepted. The aim of our study was to establish the rate of blood transfusion with and without TXA in hip revision surgery.

METHODS

We retrospectively studied 125 hip revision surgery patients operated on between 2011 and 2014. We divided our series into 2 groups: the TXA group with 61 patients (in which a 1000 mg dose of TXA was used before the skin incision and a second identical dose after skin closure) and a control group with 64 patients. We analysed the red blood cell (RBC) transfusion rates and their odds risk as well as the presence of collateral complications.

RESULTS

Average RBC transfusion was 2.7 units/patient (range 0-6) in the control group compared to 1.6 units/patient (range 0-6) in the TXA group. A 90.11% (odds ratio [OR] 0.098; confidence interval [CI] 0.02-0.04; p<0.0029) odds risk reduction for transfusion of at least 1 unit of erythrocyte blood cell was observed in the TXA group. Complications associated with the TXA were similar in both groups.

INTERPRETATION

The benefits of TXA have been shown in elective hip replacement. In this study, TXA proved to be safe and efficacious in reducing the need for transfusions following revision total hip arthroplasty.

Topically Applied Epsilon-Aminocaproic Acid Reduces Blood Loss and Length of Hospital Stay After Total Knee Arthroplasty

Perioperative blood loss after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) affects postoperative recovery. Tranexamic acid is safe and efficient in reducing blood loss without increasing thromboembolic events. Epsilon-aminocaproic acid (ε-ACA) is less expensive than and as safe as tranexamic acid. Its efficiency when locally applied in TKA is unknown. The authors retrospectively followed 240 consecutive patients treated by 1 surgeon with TKA from January 2012 to August 2016. From January 2013 to May 2015, the authors topically applied 5 g of ε-ACA to the open wound after tourniquet release and before closure (ε-ACA-after-tourniquet-release group). From August 2015 to August 2016, the authors topically applied 5 g of ε-ACA intraoperatively to the open wound 3 minutes before tourniquet release (ε-ACA-before-tourniquet-release group). The last 80 patients not receiving ε-ACA (control group), the 80 patients in the ε-ACA-after-tourniquet-release group, and the 80 patients in the ε-ACA-before-tourniquet-release group were compared regarding blood loss, treatment costs, and thromboembolic complications. The mean±SD calculated blood loss was 1478.8±367.1 mL for the control group, 1424.0±249.3 mL for the ε-ACA-after-tourniquet-release group, and 1052.3±419.1 mL for the ε-ACA-before-tourniquet-release group (P<.05). Using ε-ACA before tourniquet release reduced the length of hospital stay by 0.7 days (P<.05) compared with not using ε-ACA, leading to cost savings of $1547.37 per patient. One patient in the ε-ACA-before-tourniquet-release group and 1 patient in the control group developed a venous thromboembolism in the postoperative period. Epsilon-aminocaproic acid significantly reduces blood loss after TKA when topically applied before tourniquet release. Its application reduced costs by decreasing the length of hospital stay and did not increase thromboembolic events. [Orthopedics. 2017; 40(6):e1044-e1049.].

Transfusion rate using intravenous tranexamic acid in hip revision surgery

INTRODUCTION

Hip revision surgery is associated with a high probability of the necessity for a blood transfusion. Different studies support the use of tranexamic acid (TXA) to decrease the rate of transfusions in primary hip surgery. Nevertheless, the use of this drug in hip revision surgery has not yet been widely accepted. The aim of our study was to establish the rate of blood transfusion with and without TXA in hip revision surgery.

METHODS

We retrospectively studied 125 hip revision surgery patients operated on between 2011 and 2014. We divided our series into 2 groups: the TXA group with 61 patients (in which a 1000 mg dose of TXA was used before the skin incision and a second identical dose after skin closure) and a control group with 64 patients. We analysed the red blood cell (RBC) transfusion rates and their odds risk as well as the presence of collateral complications.

RESULTS

Average RBC transfusion was 2.7 units/patient (range 0-6) in the control group compared to 1.6 units/patient (range 0-6) in the TXA group. A 90.11% (odds ratio [OR] 0.098; confidence interval [CI] 0.02-0.04; p<0.0029) odds risk reduction for transfusion of at least 1 unit of erythrocyte blood cell was observed in the TXA group. Complications associated with the TXA were similar in both groups.

INTERPRETATION

The benefits of TXA have been shown in elective hip replacement. In this study, TXA proved to be safe and efficacious in reducing the need for transfusions following revision total hip arthroplasty.

Oral Tranexamic Acid Reduces Transfusions in Total Knee Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

Tranexamic acid (TXA) reduces intraoperative blood loss and transfusions in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty. Although numerous studies demonstrate the efficacy of intravenous and topical TXA in these patients, few demonstrate the effectiveness and appropriate dosing recommendations of oral formulations.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was performed to evaluate differences in transfusion requirements in patients undergoing primary unilateral total knee arthroplasty with either no TXA (n = 866), a single-dose of oral TXA (n = 157), or both preoperative and postoperative oral TXA (n = 1049). Secondary outcomes included postoperative hemoglobin drop, total units transfused, length of stay, drain output, and cell salvage volume.

RESULTS

Transfusion rates decreased from 15.4% in the no-oral tranexamic acid (OTA) group to 9.6% in the single-dose OTA group (P < .001) and 7% in the 2-dose group (P < .001), with no difference in transfusion rates between the single- and 2-dose groups (P = .390). In addition, postoperative hemoglobin drop was reduced from 4.2 g/dL in the no-OTA group to 3.5 g/dL in the single-dose group (P < .01) and to 3.4 g/dL in the 2-dose group (P < .01), without a difference between the single- and 2-dose groups (P = .233).

CONCLUSION

OTA reduces transfusions, with greater ease of administration and improved cost-effectiveness relative to other forms of delivery.

Tranexamic Acid Was Safe in Arthroplasty Patients With a History of Venous Thromboembolism: A Matched Outcome Study

BACKGROUND

In contemporary total hip arthroplasties (THAs) and total knee arthroplasties (TKAs), intravenous tranexamic acid (IV TXA) has proved efficacious in decreasing blood loss and transfusion. Interested in expanding the use of IV TXA to patients with a prior venous thromboembolic event (VTE), we sought out to determine the risk of recurrent VTE with TXA administration during primary THA and TKA.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 1262 patients (1620 cases) with a history of VTE who underwent primary THA or TKA between 2000 and 2012. IV TXA was given in 258 (16%) of the cases and not given in 1362 (84%). VTE rates were evaluated at 90 days postoperatively. Given the rarity of recurrent VTEs, patients who experienced a recurrent VTE were 2:1 retrospectively matched against patients in the cohort with a history of VTE who did not experience a recurrent VTE using age (±5 years), sex, body mass index (±5 kg/m²), American Society of Anesthesiologist score, and type of chemoprophylaxis.

RESULTS

VTE recurrence was not significantly greater in those who received TXA (2.3%; 6/258) compared to those who did not receive TXA (1.8%; 25/1362; P = .6). When the 31 patients who experienced a recurrent VTE were 2:1 matched to control patients, IV TXA was not associated with any increase in the risk of recurrent VTE (odds ratio, 0.9; P = .9).

CONCLUSION

Patients with a history of VTE had a low risk of recurrent VTE (2%) after contemporary THA and TKA, and that rate was not increased with the use of IV TXA.

What is the Ideal Route of Administration of Tranexamic Acid in TKA? A Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

TKA commonly involves substantial blood loss and tranexamic acid has been used to reduce blood loss after TKA. Numerous clinical trials have documented the efficacy and safety of intravenous (IV) or intraarticular (IA) use of tranexamic acid. Combined administration of tranexamic acid also has been suggested; however, there is no consensus regarding the ideal route of tranexamic acid administration.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSES

(1) To compare the efficacy of tranexamic acid in terms of total blood loss and the allogeneic transfusion rate among three routes of administration: IV alone, IA alone, and combined IV and IA. (2) To compare these regimens in terms of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and the frequency of wound complications.

METHODS

In total, 376 patients undergoing TKA between March 2014 and March 2015 were randomized to four groups by the route of tranexamic acid administration: IV only, IA only, low-dose combined (IV + IA injection of 1 g), and high-dose combined (IV + IA injection of 2 g). The calculated total blood loss, allogeneic transfusion rate, decrease in hemoglobin, the frequency of symptomatic deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, wound complications, and periprosthetic joint infection were compared among the groups. Total blood loss was calculated using estimated total body blood volume and hemoglobin loss. The decision regarding when to transfuse was determined based on preset criteria.

RESULTS

The high- and low-dose combined groups and the IA-only group had lower total blood loss (564 ± 242 mL, 642 ± 242 mL, and 633 ± 205 mL, respectively) than the IV-only group (764 ± 217 mL; mean differences = 199 mL [95% CI, 116-283 mL], p < 0.001; 121 mL [95% CI, 38-205 mL], p = 0.001; 131 mL [95% CI, 47-214 mL], p < 0.001); no differences were found among the other three groups. No patients in any study group received an allogeneic transfusion. One patient in the IV-only group had a symptomatic pulmonary embolism develop, but no other symptomatic VTE events occurred in any group. In addition, no differences were observed in wound complications, such as superficial wound necrosis (one patient in the IV-only and the high-dose combined group, respectively) and oozing (IV-only, IA-only, low-dose combined, high-dose combined = 3%, 4%, 4%, and 7%; p = 0.572) between the groups. No patients had a periprosthetic joint infection.

CONCLUSION

IA tranexamic acid administration further reduces blood loss after TKA in comparison to IV use alone; no additional effect in further reducing blood loss was found in combination with IV tranexamic acid. Appropriately powered studies are needed to confirm the safety of this route of administration as the preferred route of administration in TKA.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level I, therapeutic study.

Is combined topical and intravenous tranexamic acid superior to single use of tranexamic acid in total joint arthroplasty?: A meta-analysis from randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND

To compare the efficacy and safety of the combined application of both intravenous and topical tranexamic acid (TXA) versus the single use of either application in patients with total knee and hip arthroplasty (TKA and THA).

METHODS

Potentially relevant studies were identified from electronic databases including Medline, PubMed, Embase, ScienceDirect, and the Cochrane Library. Randomized control trials (RCTs) of patients prepared for total joint arthroplasty that compared combined TXA with placebo were retrieved. The primary endpoint was hemoglobin decline or postoperative hemoglobin level, blood loss, drainage volume, transfusion requirements. The secondary outcomes were length of stay (LOS), and operation time as well as surgery-related adverse effects, such as wound infection, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and pulmonary embolism (PE). After testing for publication bias and heterogeneity between studies, data were aggregated for random-effects models when necessary.

RESULTS

Five RCTs that included 604 patients met the inclusion criteria. The present meta-analysis indicated significant differences existed in the total blood loss (mean difference [MD] = -134.65, 95% CI: -191.66 to -77.64, P < .0001), postoperative hemoglobin level (MD = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.39-1.10, P < .0001), drainage volume (MD = -47.44, 95% CI: -64.55 to -30.33, P < .00001), and transfusion rate (risk difference [RD] = -0.06, 95% CI: -0.10 to -0.02, P = .006) between groups.

CONCLUSION

Combined administration of TXA in TKA and THA was associated with significantly reduced total blood loss, postoperative hemoglobin decline, drainage volume, and transfusion requirements. Well-designed, high-quality RCTs with long-term follow-up are still required.

Combined versus single application of tranexamic acid in total knee and hip arthroplasty: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

OBJECTIVE

To compare the efficacy and safety of the combined application of both intravenous and topical tranexamic acid versus the single use of either application in patients with total knee and hip arthroplasty.

METHODS

Potentially relevant studies were identified from electronic databases including Medline, PubMed, Embase, ScienceDirect and the Cochrane Library. Patients undergoing primary total knee and hip arthroplasty were included in our studies, with an experimental group that received combined intravenous and topical application of tranexamic acid and a control group that received a single application of tranexamic acid or normal saline. The primary outcomes were total blood loss, hemoglobin decline and transfusion requirements. The secondary outcomes were length of stay, operation time and tranexamic acid-related adverse effects, such as superficial infection, deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. Modified Jadad scores were used to assess the quality of the included randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The data was pooled using RevMan 5.3. After testing for heterogeneity across studies, the data were aggregated using random-effects modeling when appropriate. We have registered the trial at http://www.researchregistry.com.

RESULTS

Six RCTs that included 704 patients met the inclusion criteria. The present meta-analysis indicated significant differences existed in the total blood loss (MD = -134.65, 95% CI: -191.66 to -77.64, P < 0.0001), postoperative hemoglobin level (MD = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.39 to 1.10, P < 0.0001), drainage volume (MD = -40.19, 95% CI: -55.95 to -24.43, P < 0.00001) and transfusion rate (RD = -0.07, 95% CI: -0.11 to -0.03, P = 0.0004) between groups.

CONCLUSION

Combined administration of tranexamic acid in total knee and hip arthroplasty was associated with significantly reduced total blood loss, postoperative hemoglobin decline, drainage volume, and transfusion requirements. Based on the limitations of current meta-analysis, well-designed, high-quality RCTs with long-term follow-up are still required.

Efficiency and Safety of Intravenous Tranexamic Acid in Simultaneous Bilateral Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of i.v. tranexamic acid (TXA) in simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Potentially relevant published reports were identified from the following electronic databases: Medline, PubMed, Embase, ScienceDirect and Cochrane Library. RevMan v5.3was used to pool data. Two randomized controlled trials and four case-control studies met the inclusion criteria. The current meta-analysis identified significant differences between TXA group and control groups in terms of postoperative hemoglobin concentration (P < 0.01), drainage volume (P < 0.01), transfusion rate (P < 0.01) and units transfused (P = 0.006). There were no significant differences in length of stay (P = 0.66), operation time (P = 0.81) or and incidence of adverse effects such as infection (P = 0.42), deep venous thrombosis (DVT) (P = 0.88) and pulmonary embolism (PE) (P = 0.11). Our results show that i.v. administration of TXA in simultaneous bilateral TKA reduces postoperative drops in hemoglobin concentration, drainage volume, and transfusion requirements and does not prolong length of stay or operation time. Moreover, no adverse effects, such as infection, DVT or PE, were associated with TXA.

Is Intraoperative Use of QuikClot Combat Gauze Effective for Hemostasis after Total Knee Arthroplasty?

Background

To assess the hemostatic effect of QuikClot Combat Gauze (QCG) compared to that of standard gauze during cruciate-retaining total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Methods

Sixty knees underwent TKA using a pneumatic tourniquet in this prospective randomized study. After implantation of the femoral and tibial components and hardening of the bone cement, the tourniquet was deflated and QCG (group 1) or standard gauze (group 2) was packed into the joint cavity for 5 minutes for hemostasis. Perioperative bleeding volume and blood transfusion volume were compared between two groups.

Results

The mean intraoperative bleeding volume was 64.7 ± 12.7 mL in group 1 and 63.9 ± 9.2 mL in group 2 (p = 0.808). The mean postoperative blood drainage was 349.0 ± 170.6 mL in group 1 and 270.1 ± 136.3 mL in group 2 (p = 0.057). The average postoperative blood transfusion volume was 323.7 ± 325.9 mL in group 1 and 403.6 ± 274.8 mL in group 2 (p = 0.314).

Conclusions

QCG was not significantly effective for reducing perioperative bleeding volume or the blood transfusion rate compared with standard gauze during TKA.

Combined use of intravenous and topical versus intravenous tranexamic acid in primary total knee and hip arthroplasty: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

Background

This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficiency and safety of combined intravenous and topical methods of application versus single intravenous of tranexamic acid in primary total knee and hip arthroplasty.

Methods

A systematic search was carried out in MEDLINE (from 1966 to 25 September 2016), PubMed (from 1966 to 25 September 2016), Embase (from 1980 to 25 September 2016), ScienceDirect (from 1985 to 25 September 2016) and the Cochrane Library. Only high-quality randomised controlled trials (RCT) were identified. Two authors independently performed data extraction and quality assessment of included studies. Meta-analysis was conducted using Review Manager 5.1 software.

Results

Six RCTs that included 687 patients met the inclusion criteria. The present meta-analysis indicated that there were significant differences in terms of total blood loss (MD = −193.59, 95% CI −338.06 to −49.13, P = 0.009), transfusion rate (RD = −0.07, 95% CI −0.12 to −0.03, P = 0.001), haemoglobin decline (MD = −0.51, 95% CI −0.83 to −0.18, P = 0.01) and length of stay (MD = −0.20, 95% CI −0.38 to −0.02, P = 0.03) between groups.

Conclusions

Combined administration of tranexamic acid (TXA) in patients with total knee and hip arthroplasty was associated with significantly reduced total blood loss, transfusion requirements, postoperative haemoglobin decline and length of stay compared to single application alone but was not associated with prolonged operation time. Moreover, no adverse effects, such as superficial infection, deep vein thrombus (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE), were associated with TXA. We suggest that combined administration of TXA demonstrated excellent clinical efficacy and safety in patients with total knee and hip arthroplasty. More importantly, well-designed studies with larger sample size are needed to provide further reliable evidence for the combined use of TXA.

Enhanced recovery protocol and hidden blood loss in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

Perioperative blood loss and postoperative pain following total knee arthroplasty prevent early mobilisation of patients. The Enhanced Recovery Protocol (ERP) followed for patients in our institute aims at reducing post operative pain, blood loss and length of stay.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

50 consecutive patients that underwent ERP following total knee arthroplasty with another group of 70 patients that underwent the same surgery without ERP were compared in terms of hidden blood loss and length of hospital stay. Hidden blood loss was calculated according to previously described method.

RESULTS

Reduction in blood loss was found in both males (305 ml) and females (150 ml) following ERP. Length of stay reduced by 1.5 days in both genders. Regression analysis showed a significant correlation between body weight and blood loss in females.

CONCLUSION

Enhanced recovery protocol could be a useful tool to reduce patient morbidity and reduce length of inpatient stay.

The Efficacy Comparison of Tranexamic Acid for Reducing Blood Loss in Total Knee Arthroplasty at Different Dosage Time

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to compare the efficacy of intravenous administration of tranexamic acid for reducing blood loss in total knee arthroplasty at different dosage time.

METHODS

From February 2013 to December 2015, a total of 180 patients (47 in male and 133 in female) who were planned to undergo total knee arthroplasty in our trauma center were recorded. Based on dosage time of tranexamic acid administration, participants were divided into groups A, B, C, and D randomly. In groups A, B, and C, tranexamic acid (30 mg/kg) was infused intravenously 15 minutes before or after tourniquet inflation or on tourniquet deflation respectively, tranexamic acid was not applied in group D. Total blood loss (intraoperative and postoperative blood loss), blood transfusion rate and volume, hemoglobin level, and incidence of deep vein thrombosis were recorded and analyzed.

RESULTS

Compared with groups B, C, and D, there were significant reduction of blood loss, hemoglobin, and blood transfusion rate in group A (P < .05). Besides, there was no significant difference between groups B and C with superior efficacy than group D.

CONCLUSION

Intravenous administration of tranexamic acid before tourniquet inflation was superior in terms of hemoglobin reduction, reducing blood loss and blood transfusion rate.

Role of Local Infiltration of Tranexamic Acid in Reducing Blood Loss in Peritrochanteric Fracture Surgery in the Elderly Population

Introduction: Peritrochanteric fractures are common injuries occurring in elderly patients. Surgeries for these fractures are associated with significant blood loss. Intravenous tranexamic acid has a proven track record in many orthopaedic surgeries including trauma, arthroplasty and spine surgeries.

Objective: To study the effect of local subfascial and intramuscular infiltration of tranexamic acid in reducing blood loss and the requirement for blood transfusion in intertrochanteric fracture surgery.

Study Design: Single centre prospective analytical study.

Materials and Methods: One hundred and thirty seven patients above 65 years of age were included in the study, divided into two groups: the intervention group received subfascial and intramuscular infiltration of 2g tranexamic acid before wound closure and the control group of alternate patients did not receive any tranexamic acid infiltration. The postoperative drain output was recorded, as well as the haemoglobin level and the patients needing blood transfusion.

Results and Conclusions: The preoperative and postoperative haemoglobin values were recorded. The mean preoperative haemoglobin was 10.9% and 10.8% (p=0.79) in the trial and control groups respectively. The mean postoperative haemoglobin was 9.5gm% and 9.2gm% (p=0.36) in the two groups. The total postoperative blood loss in the tranexamic acid group and the control group was 190.3ml and 204.3ml respectively (p=0.25). Ten patients (14.9%) in the intervention group and 12 patients (17.1%) in the control group required blood transfusion. We conclude that tranexamic acid does not play a significant role in reducing postoperative blood loss and blood transfusion when used locally in peritochanteric fracture surgery. However a larger double blinded study comparing various modalities of use of tranexamic acid is needed to conclusively establish its role.

Effect of Tranexamic Acid on Blood Loss and Blood Transfusion Reduction after Total Knee Arthroplasty

Purpose

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) accompanies the risk of bleeding and need for transfusion. There are several methods to reduce postoperative blood loss and blood transfusion. One such method is using tranexamic acid during TKA. The purpose of this study was to confirm whether tranexamic acid reduces postoperative blood loss and blood transfusion after TKA.

Materials and Methods

A total of 100 TKA patients were included in the study. The tranexamic acid group consisted of 50 patients who received an intravenous injection of tranexamic acid. The control included 50 patients who received a placebo injection. The amounts of drainage, postoperative hemoglobin, and transfusion were compared between the groups.

Results

The mean amount of drainage was lower in the tranexamic acid group (580.6±355.0 mL) than the control group (886.0±375.5 mL). There was a reduction in the transfusion rate in the tranexamic acid group (48%) compared with the control group (64%). The hemoglobin level was higher in the tranexamic acid group than in the control group at 24 hours postoperatively. The mean units of transfusion were smaller in the tranexamic acid group (0.76 units) than in the control group (1.28 units).

Conclusions

Our data suggest that intravenous injection of tranexamic acid decreases the total blood loss and transfusion after TKA.

Balancing Thromboprophylaxis and Bleeding in Total Joint Arthroplasty: Impact of Eliminating Enoxaparin and Predonation and Implementing Pneumatic Compression and Tranexamic Acid

BACKGROUND

Venous thromboembolic disease (VTED) after total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) poses substantial risk. Pharmacologic prophylaxis against VTED can cause bleeding, transfusion, and associated complications. The ActiveCare+SFT is a portable, intermittent pneumatic compression device (IPCD), providing equivalent VTED prophylaxis to pharmacologic agents without associated bleeding. Tranexamic acid (TXA) is an antifibrinolytic that reduces blood loss after THA and TKA. Our objective was to measure blood transfusion and VTED after eliminating enoxaparin, introducing an IPCD, eliminating autologous blood transfusion, and administering TXA during primary TKA and THA.

METHODS

Four consecutive cohorts of THA and TKA patients were studied. Group A, the historical control, received enoxaparin VTED prophylaxis. Group B received IPCD VTED prophylaxis. Group C received IPCD VTED prophylaxis along with TXA (1 g intravenous at incision and closure). Groups A, B, and C predonated 1 unit of autologous blood. Group D received IPCD VTED prophylaxis, TXA as above, but did not donate blood preoperatively.

RESULTS

Seventeen of 50 patients (34%) in Group A, 7 of 47 (14.9%) patients in Group B, 4 of 43 (9.3%) patients in Group C, and 0 of 46 patients in Group D received transfusions. There were no major symptomatic VTED events.

CONCLUSION

Using an IPCD and TXA and discontinuing enoxaparin and preoperative autologous blood donation eliminated blood transfusion in primary THA and TKA without any increase in VTED. Using an IPCD instead of enoxaparin, adding TXA, and eliminating preoperative autologous donation each had an incremental dose response effect. This protocol provides effective VTED prophylaxis equivalent to pharmacologic methods and eliminates transfusion risk in the primary THA and TKA population.

Tranexamic acid decreases blood loss after total shoulder arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

Tranexamic acid (TXA) significantly decreases blood loss and transfusion rates after total hip and total knee arthroplasty. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of intravenous TXA on blood loss and patient outcomes after total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA).

METHODS

TXA was used in 106 consecutive patients undergoing primary anatomic and reverse TSA with a dose of 20 mg/kg intravenously (TXA group) and compared with the previous consecutive 88 patients without TXA (non-TXA group). All patients had a blood sample drawn for a hemoglobin and hematocrit determination the morning after surgery. Analysis of variance and χ(2) techniques were used to analyze study hypotheses.

RESULTS

Statistically significant differences in both hemoglobin loss (TXA group Δ = 2.13 vs. non-TXA group Δ = 2.63; P = .01) and hematocrit loss (TXA group Δ = 6.4 vs. non-TXA group Δ = 8.14; P < .01) were seen in the TXA group compared with the non-TXA group. In patients receiving TXA, there were statistically significant decreases in the time spent in the recovery room (mean, TXA group 69 minutes vs. non-TXA group 87 minutes; P < .02) and total length of hospitalization (mean, TXA group 1.18 days vs. non-TXA group 1.4 days; P = .01). Two patients in the TXA group received a blood transfusion, whereas 6 patients in the non-TXA group did.

CONCLUSIONS

TXA 20 mg/kg intravenously given just before primary anatomic and reverse TSA results in statistically significant reductions in blood loss. Patients spent 21% less time in the recovery room and had a 16% shorter hospitalization, resulting in financial savings for the hospital.

Does tranexamic acid reduce blood loss during head and neck cancer surgery?

Background and Aims:

Transfusion of blood and blood products poses several hazards. Antifibrinolytic agents are used to reduce perioperative blood loss. We decided to assess the effect of tranexamic acid (TA) on blood loss and the need for transfusion in head and neck cancer surgery.

Methods:

After Institutional Review Board approval, 240 patients undergoing supramajor head and neck cancer surgeries were prospectively randomised to either TA (10 mg/kg) group or placebo (P) group. After induction, the drug was infused by the anaesthesiologist, who was blinded to allocation, over 20 min. The dose was repeated every 3 h. Perioperative (up to 24 h) blood loss, need for transfusion and fluid therapy was recorded. Thromboelastography (TEG) was performed at fixed intervals in the first 100 patients. Patients were watched for post-operative complications.

Results:

Two hundred and nineteen records were evaluable. We found no difference in intraoperative blood loss (TA - 750 [600–1000] ml vs. P - 780 [150–2600] ml, P = 0.22). Post-operative blood loss was significantly more in the placebo group at 24 h (P - 200 [120–250] ml vs. TA - 250 [50–1050] ml, P = 0.009), but this did not result in higher number of patients needing transfusions (TA - 22/108 and P - 27/111 patients, P = 0.51). TEG revealed faster clot formation and minimal fibrinolysis. Two patients died of causes unrelated to study drug. Incidence of wound complications and deep venous thrombosis was similar.

Conclusion:

In head and neck cancer surgery, TA did not reduce intraoperative blood loss or need for transfusions. Perioperative TEG variables were similar. This may be attributed to pre-existing hypercoagulable state and minimal fibrinolysis in cancer patients.

Low Dose Perioperative Intravenous Tranexamic Acid in Patients Undergoing Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Double-Blind Randomized Placebo Controlled Clinical Trial

Background and Objectives. The null hypothesis of this study was that TA has no effect on postsurgical bleeding in patients undergoing TKA. Methods. This study was a double-blind randomized trial. In the first group (T) patients received 500 mg of intravenous Tranexamic acid (TA) twice (once preoperatively and once 3 hours postoperatively) and in the second group (P) they received slow infusion of normal saline as placebo. The primary outcome of the study was the level of Hb 48 hours after surgery. Results. Hb levels 48 hours after surgery as the primary outcome were 10.92 ± 0.97 and 10.23 ± 0.98 (g/dL) in groups T and P, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P = 0.001). Statistically significant differences were also observed in Hb levels 6 and 24 hours after surgery, the drain output 48 hours after surgery, and the number of units of packed cells transfused between study groups (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in duration of hospitalization between the study groups (P = n.s.). Conclusions. The low dose perioperative intravenous TA significantly reduces blood loss, requirement for blood transfusion, and drain output in patients undergoing TKA. However, duration of hospitalization did not change significantly.

Tranexamic Acid Benefits Total Joint Arthroplasty Patients Regardless of Preoperative Hemoglobin Value

While tranexamic acid (TXA) reduces transfusion in total joint arthroplasty (TJA), it remains unclear whether there is a preoperative hemoglobin (Hgb) threshold above which it is no longer beneficial. 2100 primary TJA patients were retrospectively categorized by preoperative Hgb; 1161 (55%) received TXA. Transfusion rates decreased with TXA in all groups; with Hgb>15 the transfusion rate was 0.5% with TXA and 4.5% without (P=0.0086); with Hgb>11 the transfusion rate was 4.7% with TXA and 18.7% without (P<0.0001). Patients receiving TXA had a shorter LOS by 0.51 days (P<0.0001). Patients receiving a postoperative transfusion had a longer LOS by 0.69 days (P<0.0001). TXA should be considered in all TJA patients independent of preoperative Hgb level.