Impact of single dose intravenous tranexamic acid on peri-operative blood transfusion requirements in burn patients: A prospective, randomized trial

Efficacy of tranexamic acid versus placebo in reducing blood loss during burn excisional surgery: a multi-center, double-blind, parallel, randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial (TRANEX)

BACKGROUND

Despite an increase in knowledge, blood loss during burn excisional surgery remains a major challenge and is an independent predictor of mortality. During burn surgery, limited measures are available to control the bleeding. Increased fibrinolysis could be one of the contributing factors of blood loss during burn excisional surgery. Tranexamic acid inhibits the fibrinolytic response, and a small body of evidence shows positive effects of tranexamic acid on the volume of blood loss.

METHODS

The main objectives of this study are twofold, (1) to investigate whether tranexamic acid reduces blood loss and (2) to investigate the changes in coagulation after burn trauma and during burn excisional surgery. This study is a multicenter double-blind randomized clinical trial in patients scheduled for burn excisional surgery within the Dutch burn centers. All adult patients scheduled for burn surgery with an expected blood loss of ≥ 250 are eligible for inclusion in this study. The study is powered on a blood loss reduction of 25% in the intervention group. In total, 95 subjects will be included. The intervention group will receive 1500 mg tranexamic acid versus placebo in the other group. Primary endpoint is reduction of blood loss. Secondary endpoints include occurrence of fibrinolysis during surgery, graft take of the split skin graft, and differences in coagulation and blood clot formation.

DISCUSSION

This protocol of a randomized controlled trial aims to investigate the efficacy of tranexamic acid in reducing blood loss during burn excisional surgery. Furthermore, this study aims to clarify the coagulation status after burn trauma and during the surgical process.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

EudraCT: 2020-005405-10; ClinicalTrial.gov: NCT05507983 (retrospectively registered in August 2022, inclusion started in December 2021).

Topical Tranexamic Acid on Donor Wounds in Burn Patients: A Randomized Placebo-controlled Trial

Background

Patients with major burn injuries are prone to massive blood loss owing to tangential excision of burn wounds and donor skin harvesting. In general, topical application of the antifibrinolytic drug tranexamic acid (TXA) to surgical wounds reduces bleeding; however, its effect on bleeding and re-epithelialization in superficial wounds of burns has not been explored.

Methods

This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic potential of topical TXA in reducing blood loss and its effect on wound re-epithelialization in burn surgery. Split-thickness skin graft donor wounds in burn patients were paired and randomized to topical application of either TXA (25 mg/mL) or placebo. Endpoints were postoperative bleeding as measured by dressing weight gain per cm2 wound area, blood stain area per wound area, and visual evaluation of bleeding in the dressings. Healing time was recorded to analyze the effect on wound re-epithelialization.

Results

There was no significant difference in bleeding or time to re-epithelialization between the TXA and placebo wounds. A post hoc subanalysis of wounds with dressing weight gain above the median, showed a significant difference in favor of TXA. However, use of tumescence may have influenced end points. No significant adverse events related to the study drugs were observed.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that topical application of TXA (25 mg/mL) to split-thickness skin graft donor wounds does not delay re-epithelialization. Although a reduction in bleeding is suggested, further studies are needed to determine the role of topical TXA in reducing bleeding in burn surgery.

Use of Intravenous Tranexamic Acid in Patients Undergoing Plastic Surgery: Implications and Recommendations per a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

With increasing interest in aesthetic plastic procedures, the event of blood loss has compromised patients' safety and satisfaction. Tranexamic acid (TXA) is a drug used for the reduction of blood loss during surgical procedures. This systematic review aims to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of TXA in aesthetic plastic surgery for the reduction of bleeding and related complications. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. Electronic databases PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar were searched. The medical subject headings (MeSH) keywords used for data extraction were ("TXA," OR "tranexamic acid,") AND ("plastic surgery," OR "aesthetic surgery," OR "rhinoplasty," OR "blepharoplasty,") AND ("blood loss" OR "bleeding" OR "TBL") AND ("Edema" OR "ecchymosis"). A combination of these MeSH terms was used in the literature search. The timeline of research was set from 2015 to January 2024. A total of 7380 research articles were identified from the above-mentioned databases, and only 13 research articles met the inclusion criteria. There was a significant difference in total blood loss (TBL) among patients who had undergone plastic surgery procedures while on TXA as compared to a placebo (mean difference = -6.02; Cl: -1.07 to -0.16; p > 0.00001), and heterogeneity was found (degrees of freedom (df) = 9; I2 = 97%). Only two studies reported the average ecchymosis scores after TXA among interventions in comparison to the placebo group. This review provides evidence that TXA lowers TBL, ecchymosis, edema, and anemia during cosmetic surgery without significantly increasing thromboembolic consequences.

Effectiveness of tranexamic acid in burn patients undergoing surgery - a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Reducing blood loss during excisional surgery in burn patients remains a challenge. Tranexamic acid during surgery can potentially reduce blood loss. The use of tranexamic acid during excisional surgery in burn patients has recently been described in a review and meta-analysis. However, quality assessment on studies included was not performed and this review did not apply independent reviewers. Quality assessment of studies investigating the effectiveness of tranexamic acid in burn patients is crucial before concusions can be drawn. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature investigating the effectiveness of tranexamic acid in burn patients undergoing surgery.

METHODS

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature was conducted. The study was pre-registered in PROSPERO database (CRD42023396183).

RESULTS

Five studies including two randomised controlled trials (RCTs) with a total of 303 patients were included. Risk of bias of the included studies was moderate to high. Individual results of the studies were heterogeneous. In three studies of moderate quality the administration of tranexamic acid resulted in a reduction of blood loss per unit excised area, accounting as moderate level of evidence. In two low-quality studies and one moderate quality study the administration of tranexamic acid resulted in a reduction of transfused packed Red Blood Cells (pRBC's), accounting for moderate level of evidence. Postoperative haemoglobin levels were higher after tranexamic acid administration in one study, accounting for insufficient evidence. Meta-analysis pooling overall blood loss from two separate RCTs failed to detect a statistically significant reduction. Substantial heterogeneity was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Moderate level of evidence indicates that tranexamic acid reduces blood loss per unit of excised area and transfusion of packed Red Blood Cells. Results indicate that tranexamic acid can be beneficial in burn patients undergoing surgery. More high-quality research is needed to confirm these results. Future studies should focus on the dosing of tranexamic acid, the administration approaches, and even consider combining these approaches.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO: CRD42023396183.

Intravenous Application of Tranexamic Acid in Patients Undergoing Plastic Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis with GRADE Quality Assessment

BACKGROUND

Tranexamic acid (TXA) is a versatile antifibrinolytic agent that is widely used in modern surgeries. This review assessed the safety and efficacy of intravenous (IV) TXA in plastic surgery versus controls.

METHODS

This review selected English-language Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating IV TXA effects in plastic surgery from four electronic databases, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library up to April 9, 2023. Primary outcomes were blood loss volume (BLV) and transfusion occurrence, with operation time and surgical field assessment as secondary outcomes. IV TXA-related complications were also important indicators. Meta-analyses and qualitative analyses were conducted and the quality of the evidence was assessed.

RESULTS

Thirty RCTs with 2150 patients were included. The total standard mean difference (SMD) of BLV and pooled relative risk of transfusion occurrence between the IV TXA and the control groups were - 1.11 (95% CI, - 1.42 to - 0.80) and 0.36 (95% CI, 0.23 to 0.55) respectively, indicating a significant blood loss reduction with IV TXA treatment, while an ambiguous outcome of operation time was observed, with an SMD of - 0.22 (95% CI, - 0.42 to - 0.02). The quality of evidence for BLV and transfusion occurrence was low and medium, respectively. A quantitative analysis of surgical field assessment was not performed because of the substantial heterogeneity in scoring methods. No IV TXA-related complications were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

In plastic surgery, IV TXA administration results in less blood loss, reduced need for transfusion and better surgical fields but probably does not increase the risk of adverse events.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE I

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine Ratings, please refer to Table of Contents or online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Tranexamic acid in burn surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Burn injury causes a coagulopathy that is poorly understood. After severe burns, significant fluid losses are managed by aggressive resuscitation that can lead to hemodilution. These injuries are managed by early excision and grafting, which can cause significant bleeding and further decrease blood cell concentration. Tranexamic acid (TXA) is an anti-fibrinolytic that has been shown to reduce surgical blood losses; however, its use in burn surgery is not well established. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the influence TXA may have on burn surgery outcomes. Eight papers were included, with outcomes considered in a random-effects model meta-analysis. Overall, when compared to the control group, TXA significantly reduced total volume blood loss (mean difference (MD) = -192.44; 95% confidence interval (CI) = -297.73 to - 87.14; P = 0.0003), the ratio of blood loss to burn injury total body surface area (TBSA) (MD = -7.31; 95% CI = -10.77 to -3.84; P 0.0001), blood loss per unit area treated (MD = -0.59; 95% CI = -0.97 to -0.20; P = 0.003), and the number of patients receiving a transfusion intraoperatively (risk difference (RD) = -0.16; 95% CI = -0.32 to - 0.01; P = 0.04). Additionally, there were no noticeable differences in venous thromboembolism (VTE) events (RD = 0.00; 95% CI = -0.03 to 0.03; P = 0.98) and mortality (RD = 0.00; 95% CI = -0.03 to 0.04; P = 0.86). In conclusion, TXA can potentially be a pharmacologic intervention that reduces blood losses and transfusions in burn surgery without increasing the risk of VTE events or mortality.

Safety and Efficacy of Local Tranexamic Acid for the Prevention of Surgical Bleeding in Soft-Tissue Surgery: A Review of the Literature and Recommendations for Plastic Surgery

BACKGROUND

Although high-bleed surgery routinely utilizes the antifibrinolytic drug tranexamic acid, most plastic surgical procedures are conducted in soft tissue with low-volume bleeding. Unease regarding possible systemic adverse effects prevents widespread systemic use, but local use of tranexamic acid is gaining popularity among plastic surgeons. Randomized controlled trials on topical use of tranexamic acid are mainly from high-bleed surgeries, and few studies address the effect in soft tissue. This article reviews the scientific evidence regarding local use of tranexamic acid in soft-tissue surgery, discusses pharmacological effects and possible adverse reactions, and presents recommendations for use in plastic surgery.

METHODS

A systematic search of databases for studies on local use of tranexamic acid in soft-tissue surgery was performed. Randomized controlled trials were included for a systematic review on effect; a narrative review regarding other clinically relevant aspects is based on extensive literature searches combined with the authors' own research.

RESULTS

Fourteen randomized controlled trials, including 1923 patients, were included in the systematic review on local use of tranexamic acid in soft-tissue surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Local use of tranexamic acid may reduce blood loss comparably to intravenous prophylactic use with negligible risk of systemic adverse effects, but high-quality randomized controlled trials are few. Prolonged exposure to high local concentrations is discouraged, and direct contact with the central nervous system may cause seizures. No single superior means of administration or dosage is supported in the literature, and lowest effective dose is unknown. There may not be one single ideal dosing regimen, but rather many possibilities adaptable for different surgical situations.

Effect of single dose intravenous tranexamic acid on blood loss in tangential excision of burn wounds - A double blind randomised controlled trial

INTRODUCTION

This study was carried out to evaluate role of intravenous tranexamic acid (TXA) in reducing blood loss during tangential excision of burns.

METHODS

This was a single center, prospective double-blinded parallel arm superiority randomized placebo-controlled trial. Patients (15-55 years) with deep dermal thermal burns <30% undergoing tangential excision were randomly assigned (1:1) to TXA and placebo groups. Patients in TXA and placebo groups received injection TXA 15 mg/kg and 10 ml saline respectively, 10 min preoperatively. Primary outcome was volume of blood loss per square centimeter area of burn excised. Secondary outcomes were total volume of blood loss, postoperative hemoglobin, intraoperative fluid requirement, blood transfusion, graft take and length of hospitalization (LOH).

RESULTS

Thirty patients were included. Both groups were comparable in terms of Body Mass Index (BMI) preoperative hemoglobin, area of burn excised, duration of surgery and the intraoperative temperature. The average blood loss per square centimeter burn area excised was found to be significantly lower in TXA when compared to placebo group (mean difference: 0.28 ± 0.025 ml/cm²; p = 0.000). The total volume of blood loss was lower in TXA group (258.7 ± 124.10 ml vs 388.1 ± 173.9 ml; p = 0.07). None of the patients required transfusion. The requirement of intra-operative fluids was similar between the two groups (crystalloids: p = 0.236; colloids: p = 0.238). Postoperative hemoglobin, length of hospitalization and graft-take were comparable between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

TXA reduced blood loss per unit burn area of tangential excision in <30%TBSA burn, however, we found no significant effect on postoperative Hb and transfusion.

Tranexamic acid for the prevention and treatment of bleeding in surgery, trauma and bleeding disorders: a narrative review

OBJECTIVES

We review the evidence for tranexamic acid (TXA) for the treatment and prevention of bleeding caused by surgery, trauma and bleeding disorders. We highlight therapeutic areas where evidence is lacking and discuss safety issues, particularly the concern regarding thrombotic complications.

METHODS

An electronic search was performed in PubMed and the Cochrane Library to identify clinical trials, safety reports and review articles.

FINDINGS

TXA reduces bleeding in patients with menorrhagia, and in patients undergoing caesarian section, myomectomy, hysterectomy, orthopedic surgery, cardiac surgery, orthognathic surgery, rhinoplasty, and prostate surgery. For dental extractions in patients with bleeding disorders or taking antithrombotic drugs, as well as in cases of idiopathic epistaxis, tonsillectomy, liver transplantation and resection, nephrolithotomy, skin cancer surgery, burn wounds and skin grafting, there is moderate evidence that TXA is effective for reducing bleeding. TXA was not effective in reducing bleeding in traumatic brain injury and upper and lower gastrointestinal bleeding. TXA reduces mortality in patients suffering from trauma and postpartum hemorrhage. For many of these indications, there is no consensus about the optimal TXA dose. With certain dosages and with certain indications TXA can cause harm, such as an increased risk of seizures after high TXA doses with brain injury and cardiac surgery, and an increased mortality after delayed administration of TXA for trauma events or postpartum hemorrhage. Whereas most trials did not signal an increased risk for thrombotic events, some trials reported an increased rate of thrombotic complications with the use of TXA for gastro-intestinal bleeding and trauma.

CONCLUSIONS

TXA has well-documented beneficial effects in many clinical indications. Identifying these indications and the optimal dose and timing to minimize risk of seizures or thromboembolic events is work in progress.

A Single Preoperative Dose of Tranexamic Acid Reduces Perioperative Blood Loss: A Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To review the efficacy and safety of a single dose of intravenous tranexamic acid (TXA) given preoperatively.

SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA

TXA is a synthetic antifibrinolytic that has been used in various surgical disciplines to reduce blood loss, blood transfusions, ecchymosis, and hematoma formation. However, there is no universal standard on the most effective dose and route of TXA administration, limiting its routine use in many centers. This study evaluates the current evidence for the efficacy and safety of a single preoperative dose of TXA on surgical blood loss in all surgical disciplines.

METHODS

With the guidance of a research librarian, in accordance with the Cochrane Handbook Medline, Cochrane Central and Embase were searched in November 2018. Search terms included "Tranexamic Acid" AND "Intravenous," with studies limited to randomized controlled trails in adult humans. Two independent reviewers and an arbitrator assessed articles for inclusion. Criteria included a single preoperative bolus dose of intravenous TXA, surgical patients, and intraoperative blood loss measurement or perioperative blood loss up to 24 hours postsurgery. Quality assessment was done using the Cochrane Collaboration risk-of-bias tool by 2 reviewers. Statistical analysis was carried out using Cochrane Review Manager 5.3. The primary outcome was surgical blood loss. Secondary outcomes included venous thromboembolic complications, transfusion requirements, and dosing.

RESULTS

A total of 1906 articles were screened, 57 met inclusion criteria. The majority of included studies were orthopedic (27), followed by obstetric and gynecological (16), oral maxillofacial and otolaryngology (10), cardiac (3), and 1 plastic surgery study focusing on acute burn reconstruction. Across all surgical specialties (n = 5698), the perioperative estimated blood loss was lower in patients receiving TXA, with a standard mean difference of -153.33 mL (95% CI = -187.79 to -118.87). Overall, surgical patients with TXA had a 72% reduced odds of transfusion (odds ratio = 0.28 [95% CI = 0.22-0.36]). The most frequently used dose of TXA was 15 mg/kg. There was no difference in the incidence of venous thromboembolic events between TXA and control groups.

CONCLUSIONS

While there is a growing body of evidence to support benefits of perioperative TXA use, this is the first meta-analysis to identify the efficacy and safety of a single preoperative dose of IV TXA. The potential implications for expanding the use of preoperative TXA for elective day surgery procedures is substantial. Preoperative intravenous TXA reduced perioperative blood loss and transfusion requirements in a variety of surgical disciplines without increasing the risk of thromboembolic events. Therefore, it should be considered for prophylactic use in surgery to reduce operative bleeding.