OBJECTIVE

To explore the effect of tranexamic acid (TXA) on the transfusion rate, dominant blood loss, and postoperative complications in simultaneous bilateral total hip arthroplasty (SBTHA).

METHODS

A clinical data of 72 patients who underwent the primary SBTHA between January 2010 and December 2018 was retrospectively analyzed. A single dose of 15 mg/kg TXA was administered intravenously before 5-10 minutes of operation in 48 patients of trial group and 24 patients were not treated with TXA in the control group. There was no significant difference between the two groups ( >0.05) in the gender, age, body mass index, the type of disease, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grading, comorbidity, and preoperative hospital stay, hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelet count, coagulation function tests. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, and postoperative transfusion rate, dominant blood loss, complication, and hospital stay were recorded and compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

The median operation time of the trial group was 208.0 minutes, and that of the control group was 202.5 minutes, with no significant difference ( =-1.046, =0.295). Postoperative transfusion was performed in 26 patients (54.2%) in the trial group and 21 patients (87.5%) in the control group, and the difference of transfusion rate between the two groups was significant ( =7.843, =0.005). However, there was no significant difference in the amount of transfused suspended red blood cells and plasma between the two groups ( >0.05). The median intraoperative blood loss was 550 mL in the trial group and 600 mL in the control group, with no significant difference ( =-1.378, =0.168). The postoperative drainage volume and median dominant blood loss in the trial group were (542±269) and 1 050 mL, respectively, which were significantly lower than those in the control group [(710±316) and 1 270 mL] ( <0.05). There was 1 case of skin tension blisters around the incision, 1 case of lower limb numbness and muscle strength loss, and 1 case of lacunar cerebral infarction in the trial group, while in the control group, there was 1 case of skin ecchymosis around the incision and 1 case of bilateral lower limb numbness and muscle strength loss, which showed no significant difference in the incidences of complications ( >0.05). No pulmonary embolism or deep venous thrombosis was found in the two groups. The median postoperative hospital stay and median total hospital stay were 9.0 and 13.0 days in the trial group, while 9.0 and 13.0 days in the control group, respectively, with no significant difference ( >0.05).

CONCLUSION

For patients who are treated with the primary SBTHA, TXA can reduce transfusion rate and perioperative dominant blood loss, and has a good hemostatic effect without increasing complications of incision, pulmonary embolism, deep venous thrombosis, and hospital stay. Therefore, TXA is relative safe.