Tranexamic Acid in Knee Joint Surgery

Summary

Total knee joint replacement surgery can lead to significant blood loss, which can affect recovery after surgery. Tranexamic acid (TXA) is a medication which stops the breakdown of blood clots and therefore prevents blood loss. The optimal use of TXA remains a point of debate. Growing interest in the topical application of TXA (directly into the surgical wound) has been suggested as an alternative way of administering TXA, and may demonstrate similar effectiveness as when it is given intravenously. Therefore, this multicentred, randomized controlled trial, aims to investigate the safety and effectiveness of both topical and intravenous administrations of TXA in total knee joint surgery. The investigators predict that both routes of administration will demonstrate similar results when compared to placebo.

Timeline

Start

2014-12

Primary completion

2015-11

Completion

2016-03

Outcome

Met primary endpoint

paper Compared to the placebo group (1090 mL [923-1257]), blood loss was significantly lower in both treatment groups (P = .001 and P = .0003, respectively). PMID 28662956 ↗

Publications

• Background Carson JL, Duff A, Berlin JA, Lawrence VA, Poses RM, Huber EC, O'Hara DA, Noveck H, Strom BL. Perioperative blood transfusion and postoperative mortality. JAMA. 1998 Jan 21;279(3):199-205. doi: 10.1001/jama.279.3.199.
• Background Alshryda S, Sarda P, Sukeik M, Nargol A, Blenkinsopp J, Mason JM. Tranexamic acid in total knee replacement: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 2011 Dec;93(12):1577-85. doi: 10.1302/0301-620X.93B12.26989.
• Background Sukeik M, Alshryda S, Haddad FS, Mason JM. Systematic review and meta-analysis of the use of tranexamic acid in total hip replacement. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 2011 Jan;93(1):39-46. doi: 10.1302/0301-620X.93B1.24984.
• Background Gandhi R, Evans HM, Mahomed SR, Mahomed NN. Tranexamic acid and the reduction of blood loss in total knee and hip arthroplasty: a meta-analysis. BMC Res Notes. 2013 May 7;6:184. doi: 10.1186/1756-0500-6-184.
• Background CRASH-2 collaborators; Roberts I, Shakur H, Afolabi A, Brohi K, Coats T, Dewan Y, Gando S, Guyatt G, Hunt BJ, Morales C, Perel P, Prieto-Merino D, Woolley T. The importance of early treatment with tranexamic acid in bleeding trauma patients: an exploratory analysis of the CRASH-2 randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2011 Mar 26;377(9771):1096-101, 1101.e1-2. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(11)60278-X.
• Background Williams-Johnson JA, McDonald AH, Strachan GG, Williams EW. Effects of tranexamic acid on death, vascular occlusive events, and blood transfusion in trauma patients with significant haemorrhage (CRASH-2) A randomised, placebo-controlled trial. West Indian Med J. 2010 Dec;59(6):612-24.
• Background Wind TC, Barfield WR, Moskal JT. The effect of tranexamic acid on blood loss and transfusion rate in primary total knee arthroplasty. J Arthroplasty. 2013 Aug;28(7):1080-3. doi: 10.1016/j.arth.2012.11.016. Epub 2013 Mar 28.
• Background Wind TC, Barfield WR, Moskal JT. The effect of tranexamic acid on transfusion rate in primary total hip arthroplasty. J Arthroplasty. 2014 Feb;29(2):387-9. doi: 10.1016/j.arth.2013.05.026. Epub 2013 Jun 21.
• Background Ishida K, Tsumura N, Kitagawa A, Hamamura S, Fukuda K, Dogaki Y, Kubo S, Matsumoto T, Matsushita T, Chin T, Iguchi T, Kurosaka M, Kuroda R. Intra-articular injection of tranexamic acid reduces not only blood loss but also knee joint swelling after total knee arthroplasty. Int Orthop. 2011 Nov;35(11):1639-45. doi: 10.1007/s00264-010-1205-3. Epub 2011 Jan 21.
• Background Later AF, Sitniakowsky LS, van Hilten JA, van de Watering L, Brand A, Smit NP, Klautz RJ. Antifibrinolytics attenuate inflammatory gene expression after cardiac surgery. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2013 Jun;145(6):1611-6, 1616.e1-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2012.11.042. Epub 2013 Jan 16.
• Background Robertshaw HJ. An anti-inflammatory role for tranexamic acid in cardiac surgery? Crit Care. 2008;12(1):105. doi: 10.1186/cc6210. Epub 2008 Jan 16.
• Stowers MDJ, Aoina J, Vane A, Poutawera V, Hill AG, Munro JT. Tranexamic Acid in Knee Surgery Study-A Multicentered, Randomized, Controlled Trial. J Arthroplasty. 2017 Nov;32(11):3379-3384. doi: 10.1016/j.arth.2017.05.058. Epub 2017 Jun 9.

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