Tranexamic acid reduces blood loss in total knee arthroplasty：effectiveness and safety / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:Tranexamic acid is a synthetic anti-fibrinolytic drug, and can effectively control blood loss after total knee arthroplasty through vein. OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of tranexamic acid in reducing blood loss after primary unilateral total knee arthroplasty. METHODS:From 2014 to 2015, 100 patients from the Department of Lower Limb, Sichuan Orthopaedic Hospital underwent primary unilateral total knee arthroplasty, and randomly divided into test group which used tranexamic acid and control group which used tranexamic acid, with 50 cases in each group. 1 g tranexamic acid was infused into the vein at 10 minutes before total knee arthroplasty in the test group, but tranexamic acid was not given in the control group. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The amount of total blood loss, postoperative wound drainage in 24 hours, and the amount of blood transfusion were significantly less in the test group than in the control group (P < 0.05). No significant differences in intraoperative blood loss and the number of patients receiving blood transfusion were found between the test and control groups. No significant difference in preoperative hemoglobin levels was detected before surgery, but hemoglobin levels were decreased after surgery between the two groups. Postoperative hemoglobin levels were apparently higher in the test group than in the control group after surgery. At 24 hours after surgery, no significant difference in coagulation was detectable between the two groups. At 6 days, double lower limb vein color Doppler ultrasound examination did not reveal deep vein thrombosis in both groups. These findings verify that treatment with tranexamic acid in the vein before primary unilateral total knee arthroplasty can evidently diminish the amount of perioperative blood loss and blood transfusion, reduce the risk and cost of blood transfusion, which is good for rehabilitation and does not increase the risk of deep vein thrombosis.