Combined Administration of Systemic and Topical Tranexamic Acid for Total Knee Arthroplasty: Can It Be a Better Regimen and Yet Safe? A Randomized Controlled Trial

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is associated with substantial blood loss in postoperative period. Tranexamic acid (TXA) is potent antifibrinolytic agent, routinely administered by intravenous (IV) and topical route, which can possibly interrupt cascade of events due to hemostatic irregularities close to source of bleeding. However, scientific evidence of combined administration of TXA in TKA is still meagre. The present study aimed to compare efficacy of combined IV and topical TXA with IV use alone in terms of blood loss, transfusion rate, and incidence of deep vein thrombosis and thromboembolism.

119 patients undergoing unilateral TKA were randomized into IV alone and combined group. Patients assigned to IV group were given IV TXA as a preoperative and postoperative dose given 3 and 6 hours after surgery, whereas in combined group, topical TXA solution was applied intraarticularly about 5 minutes before closure of arthrotomy in addition to IV doses.

Combined use of IV and topical TXA provided better results than IV use alone with mean calculated total blood loss (590.69±191.1 vs 385.68±182.5, P<.001), blood transfusion rate (6.6% vs 1.6%, P = .364), hemoglobin drop (1.82±0.6 vs 1.14±0.5, P<.001). No case of DVT or TE was noted among the 2 study groups.

Combined use of IV and intraarticular TXA provided significantly better results compared with IV use alone with respect to all variables related to postoperative blood loss in TKA. Moreover, TXA use is safe in terms of incidence of symptomatic DVT and TE.