Journal of Blood Disorders & Transfusion

Abstract

Effect of Injecting Tranexamic Acid from a Drain to the Joint and Drain-Clamping to Reduce Blood Loss during Bilateral Cementless Total Knee Arthroplasty

Hirotaka Mutsuzaki and Kotaro Ikeda

Abstract

Purpose: Our purpose was to clarify the effect of immediately postoperatively injecting tranexamic acid (TA) to the knee joint and drain clamping on reducing postoperative bleeding. Allogeneic blood transfusion requirement after bilateral cementless total knee arthroplasty (TKA) was also evaluated.

Methods: This nonrandomized, retrospective study included 50 patients who underwent simultaneous bilateral primary cementless TKA. They were equally divided into a study group given an injection of TA (1000 mg) from drain to knee joint and drain clamping postoperatively (study group) and a control group who did not undergo this treatment. Postoperative total blood loss, drainage volume, hemoglobin level and transfusion amounts/rates were recorded.

Results: Total blood loss, total drainage, and mean allogeneic transfusion volume and rate were lower in the study group than in controls (P<0.05). Hemoglobin level on postoperative day (POD) 14 was similar in the two groups but was higher in the study group on PODs 1 and 7 (P<0.05).

Conclusions: Injection of TA from drain to knee joint and drain clamping at the end of the operation effectively reduced blood loss and allogeneic blood transfusion after bilateral cementless TKA.