Tranexamic Acid Reduces Total Blood Loss and Inflammatory Response in Computer-Assisted Navigation Total Knee Arthroplasty

Introduction. Tranexamic acid (TXA) is an effective blood salvage agent that reduces perioperative blood loss in conventional total knee arthroplasty (TKA). As computer-assisted surgery for TKA (CAS-TKA) results in a lower perioperative blood loss than conventional TKA, the additional effect of blood conservation by TXA might be mitigated. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of TXA in CAS-TKA. Methods. We retrospectively reviewed 222 consecutive patients who underwent CAS-TKA. Intravenous TXA was administered in 103 patients (TXA group) at a dosage of 20 mg/kg 15 min before deflation of the tourniquet. The other 119 patients did not receive TXA (control group). Patient demographic data including age, gender, BMI, DM, and hypertension were collected. The primary outcomes were the estimated total blood loss (ETBL) and perioperative data, including tourniquet duration, preoperative and postoperative day 1 (POD1) and day 3 (POD3) serum D-dimer, CRP, hemoglobin (Hb), and hematocrit (Hct) levels. Secondary outcomes including transfusion rate and 90-day complications were recorded. Results. The ETBL was lower in the TXA group on both POD1 (404.34 ± 234.77 vs. 595.47 ± 279.04, p