DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2022.v10i06.005

Pages: 890-895

Background: Tranexamic acid (TA) is proven to be effective to reduce perioperative bleeding in orthopedic surgery. However, it remains underutilized in daily practice. The objective of this study was to assess the usefulness of TA to mimimise blood loss during TKA in countries like ours where the strategies of reducing blood loss are very limited. Methods: 112 patients were included, and randomly divided into two group of 56 patients each. One group received the IV TA while the control group did not received. For those who received TA, intravenously 10mg/kg 20 minutes before tourniquet application, 10 mg/kg 15 minutes before deflation of tourniquet, and 10 mg/kg 3 hours after the second dose dose in each knee. The main outcomes were the volume of intraoperative bleeding, the amount of blood in the drains postoperatively, as well as the level of Hb at 24 postoperative hours and 5 day postoperatively, the frequency of transfusion, and the number of red blood cells transfused. Also, all complications were recorded. Results: There were no statistical differences in demographics data between the groups. Mean intraoperative blood loss was significantly lower for TA group than for the control group (124,1±22,2 ml vs 256,4±41,08 ml ; p<0,001). Similarly, the mean amount of blood in the drains postoperatively was lower in TA group than the control group. Thereby, total blood loss was consequently less in TA+ group compared to the control group (1091,5±103,4 ml vs 636,67±48,5 ml ; p<0,001). Postoperative hemoglobin levels were higher for TA group than for the control group at 24 hours and 5 day postoperatively. In the control group 11(19,64%) patients needed blood transfusions, in comparison to only 1(1,78%) patient in the tranexamic acid group (p<0,043). Patients in the tranexamic acid group were given 2 (3,57%) units of red blood packed in total, compared with 21(37,5%) units in the control group. No thromboembolic complication were detected in both groups. ................