Variable Efficacy of Tranexamic Acid in Geriatric Hip Fractures Treated With Arthroplasty Versus Cephalomedullary Nails

Geriatric hip fractures are associated with high rates of disability and mortality. Many of these patients require perioperative and postoperative allogeneic blood transfusions, which carry several noteworthy risks. A growing body of literature supports the efficacy of tranexamic acid (TXA) in geriatric hip fractures, without sufficient data examining which subgroups are likely to benefit the most. In this study, we sought to evaluate whether TXA was associated with reduced blood loss and transfusions in a geriatric population undergoing hip fracture fixation at our institution during a 2-year period. The first year's data were collected in a retrospective fashion before the introduction of a quality control initiative encouraging TXA administration for all geriatric hip fractures. The second year's data were collected prospectively. A subgroup analysis was conducted for patients who underwent arthroplasties. Among the pooled cohort of patients undergoing surgery, TXA showed no benefit over control subjects for reducing blood loss or transfusion requirements. However, the subgroup of patients undergoing arthroplasty procedures showed a notable decrease in total blood loss and total units transfused during hospitalization. These results suggest that TXA may be most beneficial when targeted to arthroplasties performed for geriatric hip fractures.