Abstract: Objective: In our study, we compared the use of tranexamic acid (TXA) with tourniquet and Hemovac drain application in terms of bleeding, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), infection development and functional scores following total knee arthroplasty (TKA).
Methods: Our TKA cases were evaluated retrospectively. The group that was not applied a tourniquet or Hemovac drain but administered TXA was designated as the study group (TXA group) and the group that was applied a tourniquet or Hemovac drain but was given no TXA was designated as the control group. The age, gender, operated side, body mass index, comorbid diseases, anesthesia type, duration of operation, perioperative blood pressure values ​​of patients from both groups were recorded. Perioperative blood loss, the difference between preoperative and postoperative Hb and Hct values, need for transfusion, infection, DVT development and the WOMAC scores ​​of both groups were compared.
Results: The duration of surgery in the TXA group was 82.5±7.1 minutes and 75.2±4.2 minutes in the control group (p<0.05). Perioperative bleeding was higher in the TXA group (112.77±12.82 ml) than the control group (146.14±40.54 ml) (p<0.05). The difference between the preoperative and postoperative Hb levels was 2.9±0.7 g/dl in the control group compared to 1.5±0.5 g/dl in the TXA group. The need for transfusion, DVT and infection development in the postoperative period were significantly higher in the control group (p<0.05). In terms of functional scores, the only significant difference between the groups was detected in the WOMAC pain scores (p<0.05).
Conclusion: A lower bleeding, transfusion, infection, DVT development rate and pain scores can be obtained with IV TXA application and without the use of a tourniquet or drain in TKA.
