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Use of TXA during spinal surgery reduces blood loss, transfusion rates
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Researchers found using tranexamic acid during spinal surgery effectively reduced blood loss, the volume of blood transfused, the overall rate of transfusions and the postoperative partial thromboplastic time, according to study results.
Using three separate databases, the researchers conducted a search through October 2012 to identify relevant randomized, controlled trials involving the use of tranexamic acid (TXA) during spinal surgery. The researchers extracted and compared the mean differences of blood loss, blood transfusion and thrombotic complications for a TXA-treated group of patients with a placebo group and combined the data using random-effect meta-analysis. Six randomized, controlled studies comprising a total of 411 patients were included in the analysis.
Patients in the TXA-treated group were found to have significantly less blood loss and fewer blood transfusions per patient compared with the placebo group, according to the researchers. Additionally, TXA-treated patients had a smaller proportion of patients who required blood transfusion than the placebo group.
The researchers also found the use of TXA can significantly reduce the postoperative partial thromboplastic time with weighted mean differences of −1.59. However, there was no association between thrombosis complications and the use of TXA. – by Robert Linnehan
Disclosures: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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