Effect of intravenous tranexamic acid on hidden blood loss in total knee arthroplasty / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:Massive blood loss was caused by an over-reactive fibrinolytic system, as a sequence of tourniquet usage and surgery trauma in total knee arthroplasty. As an antifibrinolytic drug, tranexamic acid has been proven to decrease not only the obvious and total blood loss, but also the ratio of alograft blood transfusion in total knee arthroplasty. Nevertheless, the effect of tranexamic acid on hidden blood loss in total knee arthroplasty had not been clarified yet. OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of intravenous infusion of tranexamic acid on hidden blood loss in primary total knee arthroplasty. METHODS:Clinical data of 54 patients who received primary unilateral total knee arthroplasty in the Third Hospital, Peking University from June to December 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. They were divided into two groups according to the use of tranexamic acid. 22 patients in the tranexamic acid group were given 2 g tranexamic acid by intravenous infusion during surgery. 32 patients in the control group were given an equal volume of physiological saline. Patients in both groups were oraly given anticoagulant rivaroxaban after replacement. Hemoglobin level and blood hematocrit were recorded before and after surgery for 5 consecutive days. The total amount of blood loss and hidden blood loss were calculated by using Cross equation. The difference in the amount of blood loss was compared between the two groups. Lower extremity venous ultrasound examination was conducted at 1 week after replacement to determine deep venous thrombosis in the lower limb. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:No significant difference in general data and perioperative conditions was detected between the two groups (P > 0.05). Postoperative drainage, dominant blood loss, total blood volume, the amount of autologous blood transfusion and the amount of alogeneic blood transfusion were significantly less in the tranexamic acid group than in the control group (P < 0.05). According to Gross formula, the difference of hidden blood loss was statisticaly significant between the tranexamic acid group (302.9±189.9) mL and the control group (596.8±271.4) mL (P < 0.05). Deep vein thrombosis appeared in one case between the two groups after replacement. Results indicate that intravenous infusion of tranexamic acid dramaticaly decreased the hidden blood loss in unilateral total knee arthroplasty, reduced alogeneic blood transfusion, and simultaneously did not increase the incidence of deep vein thrombosis in the lower limb.