1.
Intravenous tranexamic acid reduce postoperative drainage and pain after open elbow arthrolysis: A randomized controlled trial
Cui H, Yu S, Ruan J, Sun Z, Li J, Chen S, Fan C
Journal of shoulder and elbow surgery. 2021
Abstract
BACKGROUND Open elbow arthrolysis (OEA), which has become an established treatment for post-traumatic elbow stiffness (PTES), requires complete release of contracture tissue and wide excision of ectopic bone, which results in extensive bleeding. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the efficacy of intravenous tranexamic acid (TXA) on postoperative drainage, calculated blood loss and early clinical outcomes in patients undergoing OEA. METHODS A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial including 96 patients undergoing OEA was undertaken. Patients received intravenously either 100 mL saline (placebo group, n = 48), or 100 mL saline plus 1 g TXA (TXA group, n = 48) before skin incision. The primary outcome was the drainage volume on postoperative day (POD) 1 to 3. Secondary outcomes included the calculated blood loss, elbow pain score measured by Visual Analog Scale (VAS), elbow function valued by Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS), and rate of complications after OEA. RESULTS Mean total postoperative drainage volume (TXA group: 182 mL vs. placebo group: 214 mL, p = 0.003) and mean calculated total blood loss (TXA group: 582 mL vs. placebo group: 657 mL, p = 0.004) were significantly lower in the TXA group. No transfusions were necessary in either group. Mean VAS pain scores in elbow motion showed marked differences between both groups on POD 1 (TXA: 5 vs. placebo: 6, p = 0.003) and POD 2 (TXA: 4 vs. placebo: 5, p = 0.023), but not in other postoperative time points. No differences were detected in complications, such as pin-related infection, hematoma, new or exacerbation of ulnar nerve symptoms, and recurrent heterotopic ossification. At the 6-month follow-up, no statistical differences were found between the two groups with respect to the elbow functions including range of motion, VAS score and MEPS. CONCLUSION Intravenous administration of TXA significantly decreased the postoperative drainage volume and the total estimated blood loss, and alleviated the elbow pain with motion during early postoperative days in patients undergoing OEA. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level I; Randomized Controlled Trial; Treatment Study.
2.
Combined use of tranexamic acid and rivaroxaban in posterior lumbar interbody fusion safely reduces blood loss and transfusion rates without increasing the risk of thrombosis-a prospective, stratified, randomized, controlled trial
Zhang L, Li Y, Liu D, Xiao X, Guan T, Yue H, Xue H, Zhou H, Jiao G, Wu W, et al
Int Orthop. 2020
Abstract
PURPOSE This prospective, stratified, randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled multicentre study investigated the safety and effectiveness of reducing blood loss and preventing venous thromboembolism (VTE) during posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) in patients with stenosis or spondylolisthesis using the combination of tranexamic acid (TXA) and rivaroxaban. METHODS The Autar score was evaluated in patients after admission. Patients with an Autar score ≤ 10 were randomized to group A or B. Group A was the placebo-controlled group. Patients in group B were treated with 1 g TXA via intravenous injection and 1 g TXA for external use. Patients with an Autar score > 10 were randomized to group C or D. Patients in group C were treated with 10-mg rivaroxaban qd for 35 days after surgery. Patients in group D received the same treatment as those in group B intra-operatively and as those in group C post-operatively. RESULTS A total of 599 patients from eight hospitals participated in this clinical trial. The total blood loss, intra-operative blood loss, and drainage volume were reduced by the administration of TXA (group A vs group B, P < 0.01; group C vs group D, P < 0.01), and the blood transfusion rate was also decreased (group A vs group B, P < 0.01; group C vs group D, P < 0.01). There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in the VTE incidence rates among group A and group B. In patients with high-risk thrombosis, the number of patients with VTE was only three and seven after the application of rivaroxaban. Epidural haematoma was not discovered in any patients in our trial. CONCLUSION The combined application of tranexamic acid and rivaroxaban significantly reduced the amount of blood loss and the transfusion rate during PLIF surgery and avoided an increase in the probability of thrombosis and the occurrence of epidural haematoma. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER AND DATE OF REGISTRATION ChiCTR-1800016430 2018-06-01.