Effectiveness of Tranexamic Acid in Reducing Blood Loss During Femoral Nail Surgery

Summary

This clinical study aims to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of administering a single intravenous dose of tranexamic acid (TXA) before surgery to reduce blood loss in patients undergoing open intramedullary nailing for femoral shaft fractures. In many resource-limited settings, including Uganda, this surgical approach is common due to lack of fluoroscopic equipment, and it is known to be associated with significant perioperative blood loss. Tranexamic acid is an antifibrinolytic agent that helps stabilize blood clots and is widely used to reduce bleeding in major surgeries such as joint replacements and spinal procedures. However, its role in trauma-related open femoral surgeries in low-resource settings remains underexplored. This study investigates whether preoperative intravenous TXA can safely reduce blood loss and transfusion needs during and after surgery in patients with isolated femoral shaft fractures managed at Mulago National Referral Hospital.

Timeline

Start

2018-10-01

Primary completion

2019-02-28

Completion

2019-05-01

Outcome

Met primary endpoint

paper corresponding to a mean difference of 1.6 g/dL (p < 0.001). PMID 41981532 ↗

Publications

• Kabazzi PK, Sekimpi P, Kironde E, Nsubuga Y, Mirembe E. Effectiveness of preoperative intravenous tranexamic acid on reduction of perioperative blood loss in open intramedullary nail fixation of femoral shaft fractures in a tertiary hospital, Uganda: a prospective cohort study. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2026 Apr 14;27(1):442. doi: 10.1186/s12891-026-09793-y.

Drugs

Indications

No indication recorded.