Randomized Controlled Trial of Tranexamic Acid in Total Knee Arthroplasty: Intravenous vs. Topical

Overview

The purpose of this study is to determine whether topical or intravenous administration of tranexamic acid during unilateral total knee replacement is more effective at reducing bleeding in the first 24 hours following surgery. Tranexamic acid is a synthetic drug that has been shown to reduce blood drain output and the need for blood transfusions in both its topical and intravenous forms and is commonly used in orthopedic surgery. We hypothesize that IV and topical administration of tranexamic acid will be equally good at reducing the loss of blood and the need for transfusion immediately following total knee replacement.

This randomized controlled trial compares the blood loss of patients undergoing unilateral total knee replacements who randomly receive either the topical or the intravenous form of tranexmamic acid during surgery. Patients in the intravenous arm of the study will receive 1 gram of tranexamic acid in 10 milliliters of solution prior to inflation of the tourniquet and 1 gram of tranexamic acid in 10 milliliters of solution during closure. For patients in the topical arm of the study, prior to the release of the tourniquet they will receive 3 grams of tranexamic acid in 75ccs of solution directly on the site of the incision. The primary result measurement will be blood drain output from the knee at 24 hours after surgery.

Conditions