Comparison of Blood Loss between Neutral Drainage with Tranexamic Acid and Negative Pressure Drainage without Tranexamic Acid Following Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty.

PURPOSE: There are many methods to reduce massive bleeding during total knee arthroplasty (TKA). In our study, tranexamic acid and neutral drainage were used to decrease total blood loss.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was performed on 97 TKA patients from March 2012 to January 2013. In the study group, tranexamic acid was administered and neutral drainage was applied. The study group had group I (unilateral, n=29) and group III (bilateral, n=17). The control group had group II (unilateral, n=35) and group IV (bilateral, n=16).

RESULTS: In group I, the drainage volume on the 1st and 2nd postoperative days and the total drainage decreased with statistical significance (p<0.05). Between group III and group IV, group III had less drainage volume. In group III, the drainage volume on the 1st postoperative day and total drainage volume decreased statistically significantly (p<0.05). Between groups I and II, total blood loss showed no statistically significant difference, whereas between groups III and IV, the value was significantly different.

CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous administration of tranexamic acid with neutral drainage for 3 postoperative hours is a recommendable method because it can be helpful in reducing total blood loss in bilateral TKA.