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Adding tranexamic acid to TKA treatment can reduce transfusion rate, total blood loss
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Researchers found that adding topical tranexamic acid to intravenous tranexamic acid had similar effectiveness in reducing transfusion rate and total blood loss among patients undergoing unilateral total knee arthroplasty without sacrificing safety, according to study results.
The researchers randomly assigned 184 patients scheduled for a primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for end-stage osteoarthritis to an intravenous (IV) group or a combined application group. Patients in the IV group received 3 g of tranexamic acid (TXA), whereas patients in the combined group received 1.5 g of topical TXA combined with 1.5g IV-TXA.
Although the mean duration of surgery was 4 minutes longer among patients in the combined group, results showed patients in the combined group experienced a significantly lower maximum decline of hemoglobin vs. the IV group. The combined group also had a significant reduction in length of hospital stay.
The researchers found slightly less postoperative pain in the combined group, with a significant difference on postoperative days 2 and 3, and significantly less severe knee swelling on postoperative days 2, 3 and 4.
Overall, 76 patients in the IV group felt satisfied with the surgical outcome vs. 86 patients from the combined group, according to the researchers.
Disclosure: The authors have no relevant financial disclosures.
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