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Tranexamic acid use in TSA linked with reduced blood loss, shorter hospitalization
Patients who received tranexamic acid prior to total shoulder arthroplasty had a statistically significant reduction in blood loss and had shorter recovery room and hospital stays than controls, according to results.
Researchers compared 106 patients undergoing primary anatomic or reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) who received a 20 mg/kg dose of tranexamic acid intravenously with 88 patients who did not receive tranexamic acid. The morning after TSA, researchers collected a blood sample from all patients for a hemoglobin and hematocrit determination.
Richard I. Friedman
Measuring changes in hemoglobin and hematocrit, results showed significantly less blood loss among patients who received tranexamic acid. Researchers found the drop in hemoglobin and hematocrit was significantly less in the tranexamic acid group. Compared with the non-tranexamic acid group, patients in the tranexamic acid group spent significantly less time in the recovery room and had a shorter overall length of hospitalization, according to results. Overall, researchers noted two patients in the tranexamic acid group received blood transfusions vs. six patients in the non-tranexamic acid group. – by Casey Tingle
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.