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. 2015 Jan-Jun;6(1):94-9.
doi: 10.4103/0976-9668.149099.

Does a single loading dose of tranexamic acid reduce perioperative blood loss and transfusion requirements after total knee replacement surgery? A randomized, controlled trial

Ratul Kundu  1 , Anjan Das  2 , Sandip Roy Basunia  2 , Tapas Bhattacharyya  2 , Surajit Chattopadhyay  3 , Anindya Mukherjee  4
Affiliations

Does a single loading dose of tranexamic acid reduce perioperative blood loss and transfusion requirements after total knee replacement surgery? A randomized, controlled trial

Ratul Kundu et al. J Nat Sci Biol Med. 2015 Jan-Jun.

Abstract

Background: Total knee replacement (TKR) is associated with high-perioperative blood loss, which often requires allogenic blood transfusion. Among the many strategies to decrease the need for allogenic transfusion, tranexamic acid (TA) is used systemically in perioperative setting with promising outcome. Here we evaluated the efficacy of single preoperative bolus dose of TA on reduction in blood loss and red blood cell transfusion in patients undergoing unilateral TKR.

Materials and methods: 70, American Society of Anesthesiologists I-II patients scheduled for unilateral TKR were included. Patients were randomly allocated into two groups to receive either TA (Group-TA; 20 mg/kg diluted to 25 cc with normal saline) or an equivalent volume of normal saline (Group P). Hemoglobin concentration, packed cell volume, platelet count, fibrinogen level, D-dimer level was measured preoperatively and at 6(th) and 24(th) h postoperative period.

Results: In Group P more blood, colloid and crystalloid solutions were used to replace the blood loss. 27 patients in Group TA did not require transfusion of any blood products compared to 6 patients in Group P (P < 0.0001) and only 3 units of blood was transfused in Group TA where as a total of 32 units of blood was transfused in Group P. Despite the more numerous transfusions, Hb% after 6 h and 24 h in Group P were considerably low in comparison with Group TA (P < 0.0001).

Conclusion: Tranexamic acid while significantly reducing blood loss caused by TKR surgery collaterally reduced the need for postoperative blood transfusion.

Keywords: Blood loss; total knee replacement; tranexamic acid.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Mean perioperative blood loss in two groups
Figure 2
Figure 2
Mean perioperative fluid requirement
Figure 3
Figure 3
Total red cell concentrate used and patients who required no transfusion
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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