BACKGROUND

Tranexamic acid (TXA) has gained popularity in spinal surgery because of its potential to reduce blood loss. However, concerns regarding its safety and efficacy remain. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of TXA in reducing blood loss and its safety profile in spinal surgeries.

METHODS

A comprehensive search was conducted in electronic databases for randomized controlled trials and prospective studies evaluating the use of TXA in spinal surgery. The primary outcomes were intraoperative and total estimated blood loss (EBL), and the secondary outcomes included the incidence and types of complications associated with TXA use. Meta-analyses were performed using random-effects models.

RESULTS

Thirteen studies involving 1,213 participants were included in the meta-analysis. The use of TXA was associated with significant reductions in both intraoperative (mean difference: -46.56 mL [-73.85, -19.26], p<0.01]) and total EBL (mean difference: -210.17 mL [-284.93, -135.40], p<0.01) while also decreasing the need for blood transfusions (risk ratio: 0.68 [0.51, 0.90], p<0.01). No significant difference was found in the incidence and types of thrombotic complications when TXA was used in spinal surgery. Subgroup analysis showed consistent results in instrumentation and fusion surgery and different doses of TXA.

CONCLUSIONS

TXA is effective in reducing intraoperative and overall blood loss in spinal surgery without increasing the risk of complications. These findings support the use of TXA to improve patient outcomes. However, caution should be exercised because of the heterogeneity among the included studies. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and explore potential long-term complications.