Tranexamic acid in adenotonsillectomy in children: a double-blind randomized clinical trial

The Effect of Tranexamic Acid Local Injection on Bleeding during and after Tonsillectomy: A Double-Blind Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial

Background

Tonsillectomy-related bleeding is one of the most prevalent and potentially fatal complications of this common surgical procedure. We aimed to assess the effect of tranexamic acid (TXA) local injection on bleeding during and after tonsillectomy.

Methods

This double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial included 20 candidates for tonsillectomy referred to Al-Zahra Hospital, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran, in 2022. The subjects were randomized into two groups. Ten patients received TXA on their left side and the other ten on their right side 10 min before surgery. Placebo was administered to the contralateral side. The primary outcome was the volume of blood loss during tonsillectomy and up to 24 hours post-tonsillectomy. The secondary outcomes were surgeon satisfaction (rated 0-10), hemodynamic complications (patients' heart rate (HR) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were recorded every 10 min), and rebleeding. The duration of surgery was also noted.

Results

The mean age of the patients was 21.35 ± 3.16 years, of whom 8 (30%) were male and 12 (60%) were female. there was no significant difference between groups in terms of HR and MAP at any time point. The median of surgery duration did not differ significantly between the two groups; however, the surgeon satisfaction with the procedure was significantly higher with TXA compared to placebo. None of the patients developed hemodynamic complications, and rebleeding did not occur in any of the subjects.

Conclusions

TXA local injection was not superior to placebo in terms of bleeding control during and after tonsillectomy, hemodynamic complications, rebleeding, and surgery duration.

Effectiveness and Adverse Effects of Tranexamic Acid in Bleeding during Adenotonsillectomy: A Randomized, Controlled, Double-blind Clinical Trial

Introduction  Intra and postoperative bleeding are the most frequent and feared complications in adenotonsillectomy (AT). Tranexamic acid (TXA), which is known for its antifibrinolytic effects, has a proven benefit in reducing bleeding in hemorrhagic trauma and cardiac surgery; however, the effectiveness and timing of its application in AT have not yet been established.

Objectives  We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of TXA in controlling bleeding during and after AT and assess its possible adverse effects in children.

Methods  The present randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial included 63 children aged 2 to 12 years. They were randomly assigned to receive either intravenous TXA (10 mg/kg) or placebo 10 minutes before surgery. The volume of intraoperative bleeding, presence of postoperative bleeding, and adverse effects during and 8 hours after the surgery were assessed.

Results  No difference in bleeding volume was noted between the 2 groups (mean, 122.7 ml in the TXA group versus 115.5 ml in the placebo group, p  = 0.36). No intraoperative or postoperative adverse effects were noted because of TXA use. Furthermore, no primary or secondary postoperative bleeding was observed in any of the participants.

Conclusion  In our pediatric sample, TXA (10 mg/kg) administration before AT was safely used, without any adverse effects. It did not reduce the bleeding volume in children during this type of surgery. Future studies should assess the use of higher doses of TXA and its administration at other time points before or during surgery.

Effects of Tranexamic Acid on Bleeding in Pediatric Surgeries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Major pediatric surgeries can cause severe intraoperative blood loss. This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the efficacy of tranexamic acid (TXA) in pediatric surgeries.

Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library from the conception to March 31, 2021 to identify eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated the efficacy of TXA in pediatric surgeries. Two reviewers choosed studies, evaluated quality, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias independently. Mean difference (MD) was calculated as the summary statistic for continuous data. We used a random-effects model to measure mean effects. Data were generated from the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) using RevMan 5.3 software. Primary outcomes included intraoperative and postoperative blood loss, red blood cell (RBC) transfusion as well as fresh frozen plasma (FFP) transfusion.

Results: Fifteen studies enrolling 1,332 patients were included in this study. The pooled outcomes demonstrated that TXA was associated with a decreased intraoperative (MD = −1.57 mL/kg, 95% CI, −2.54 to −0.60, P = 0.002) and postoperative (MD = −7.85 mL/kg, 95% CI, −10.52 to −5.19, P < 0.001) blood loss, a decreased intraoperative (MD = −7.08 mL/kg, 95% CI, −8.01 to −6.16, P < 0.001) and postoperative (MD = −5.30 mL/kg, 95% CI, −6.89 to −3.70, P < 0.001) RBC transfusion, as well as a decreased intraoperative (MD = −2.74 mL/kg, 95% CI, −4.54 to −0.94, P = 0.003) and postoperative (MD = −6.09 mL/kg, 95% CI, −8.26 to −3.91, P < 0.001) FFP transfusion in pediatric surgeries. However, no significant difference was noted between two groups in duration of surgery (MD = −12.51 min, 95% CI −36.65 to 11.63, P = 0.31). Outcomes of intraoperative and postoperative blood loss and the duration of surgery in included studies were not pooled due to the high heterogeneity.

Conclusion: This meta-analysis demonstrated that TXA was beneficial for bleeding in pediatric surgeries.

Tranexamic acid in otorhinolaryngology - A contemporary review

Tranexamic acid (TXA) is an anti-fibrinolytic agent which has been proven beneficial in multiple surgical specialties where significant bleeding can occur. Whilst it has been widely available for over 40 years its use within Otorhinolaryngology is still limited. Operations in Otorhinolaryngology are particularly varied with some such as tonsillectomy having the potential for significant life threatening bleeding. Other operations are performed within small confined surgical fields and even small amounts of bleeding can significantly detriment surgical field and increase technical difficulty and operative time. This review evaluated the current literature on the benefits of tranexamic acid within the field of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery. Overall TXA was demonstrated to be a safe drug with no major adverse effects including thromboembolic events reported in any study. It has been shown to be of particular benefit in rhinology by improving surgical field, reducing operative time and reducing postoperative swelling and ecchymosis. The benefit in tonsillectomy is less clear and further studies are required to evaluate its potential use in the reduction of post tonsillectomy haemorrhage rates.

The efficacy of Tranexamic Acid Administration in Patients Undergoing Tonsillectomy: An Updated Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVE

There is controversy regarding the efficacy and safety of tranexamic acid (TXA) in reducing tonsillectomy-related hemorrhage. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the prophylactic role of TXA in tonsillectomy.

METHODS

We searched 6 databases to identify studies that directly compare the effect of TXA versus controls in tonsillectomy patients. Standardized mean difference was applied to summate the findings across the studies. Dichotomous data were expressed as relative risk.

RESULTS

Ten studies representing a total of 111 898 patients were included. The pooled results showed a significant reduction of intraoperative blood loss by 39.02 ml (SMD = -1.05, 95% CI: -1.91 to -0.20, P = .016) and the rate of post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage (RR = 0.42, 95% CI: 0.28 to 0.65, P < .0001), with no significant difference in reduction of further intervention risk (RR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.45 to 1.35, P = .373).

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, this study indicates that TXA may reduce blood loss and frequency of post-operative hemorrhage associated with tonsillectomy. Further large, high-quality clinical trials are still needed to explore TXA's effect on post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage and the safety of its use.

Efficacy and Safety of Antifibrinolytic Drugs in Pediatric Surgery: A Systematic Review

Antifibrinolytic drugs are used to reduce blood loss and subsequent transfusions during surgery and following trauma, but the optimal dosing regimen in the pediatric population is still unresolved. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate efficacy and safety of antifibrinolytic drugs in pediatric surgery and trauma to determine the optimal dosing regimen. A literature search was performed in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science on May 3, 2020. We included randomized controlled studies investigating the effect of tranexamic acid (TXA), aprotinin, and epsilon-aminocaproic acid, in terms of reducing blood loss, blood transfusions, reoperations, and rebleeds in pediatric patients aged 0 to 18 years undergoing cardiac surgery, noncardiac surgery, or trauma. Fifty randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included; 28 RCTs investigated cardiac surgery and 22 investigated noncardiac surgery. No RCTs regarding trauma met the inclusion criteria. All antifibrinolytic drugs reduced postoperative blood loss and transfusions when used in pediatric surgery. The dosing regimen varied between studies, but similar effect sizes were found in terms of reduced blood loss regardless of the cumulative dose used. Few studies found adverse events, and no difference in incidence or type of adverse events was seen between the antifibrinolytic and the placebo group. In conclusion, use of antifibrinolytics is efficient and safe in children undergoing surgery. We propose TXA as the drug of choice based on its level of evidence and safety profile; we recommend a dosing regimen composed of a loading dose of 10 to 15 mg/kg prior to surgery followed by 1 to 5 mg/kg/h as continuous infusion throughout surgery.

Selection of the optimal dosage of tranexamic acid to reduce blood loss during pediatric cleft palate surgery

Objective

The aim of the present study was to evaluate and select the optimal dosage of tranexamic acid (TXA) to reduce blood loss during cleft palate surgery in children.

Materials and Methods

This randomized double-blind clinical trial was performed on 80 children under 3 years of age that were candidates for cleft palate surgery. These children were divided into four groups as follows: the first, second, and third groups received 5, 7.5, and 10 mg/kg of TXA, respectively. Moreover, the fourth group was considered as the control group. Before induction of anesthesia and then every 15 min during the surgery, some parameters such as mean arterial pressure, heart rate, SpO₂, and ETCO₂ were recorded. Moreover, the amount of blood loss during the surgery, the level of surgeon's satisfaction, and incidence rate of complications were assessed and recorded.

Results

The amount of blood loss during the surgery in TXA groups receiving dosages of 5, 7.5, and 10 mg/kg with the means of 63.75 ± 10.62, 61.25 ± 15.03, and 61.00 ± 14.29, respectively, was significantly lower than that of the control group with the mean of 92.25 ± 19.83 (P < 0.001). Moreover, no significant difference was found between the three groups receiving TXA dosages in terms of the amount of blood loss, the level of surgeon's satisfaction (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

According to the results of the present study, all three dosages of TXA had a significant role in reducing blood loss in cleft palate surgery. Given the potential for increased risk of side effects from the drug, it seems safe to use the minimal dosage of this drug to control and reduce blood loss during cleft palate surgery in children <3 years of age.

Hypopharyngeal packing during adenotonsillectomy by cold dissection in children: a randomized controlled trial

PURPOSE

Nausea and vomiting occur in up to 70% of children after adenotonsillectomy, ingested blood during procedure being one of the reasons for emesis. Hypopharyngeal packing (HP) is a common practice among otolaryngologists to prevent blood from being swallowed, but studies in nasal surgeries in adults failed to show efficacy of this technique in reducing postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). There are no studies evaluating the effect of HP in adenotonsillectomy in children. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy HP during adenotonsillectomy in children in the prevention of PONV.

METHODS

This is a randomized, double-blinded, controlled trial. Children aged 4-16 years, scheduled for adenotonsillectomy due to sleep-disordered breathing were enrolled in Hospital da Criança Santo Antônio (Brazil). 192 participants were screened, while 129 were enrolled and completed follow-up for primary outcome. Patients were randomized in a consecutive manner to receive HP or not during adenotonsillectomy. PONV occurrence was assessed in the first 24 h after surgery in HP and control group and relative risk with 95% confidence interval was calculated.

RESULTS

There were 129 patients randomized, 64 in the HP and 65 in the control group. Female were 40.3% and mean ± SD age was 7.3 ± 2.9. Baseline characteristics and surgery variables were distributed similarly between the groups. Incidence of PONV was 20.3% in the HP and 23.1% in the control group. The relative risk for PONV was 0.88 (95% CI 0.46-1.70).

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that there is no benefit of HP during adenotonsillectomy in children for the prevention of PONV.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Brazilian Register of Randomized Trials (REBEC) identifier: RBR-3zjn27; Universal Trial Number U1111-1197-7461.

Exclusion criteria and adverse events in perioperative trials of tranexamic acid: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Tranexamic acid (TXA) is an inexpensive therapy effective at minimizing perioperative blood loss and transfusion. However, it remains underutilized due to safety concerns. To date, no evidence-based guidelines exist identifying which patients should not receive TXA therapy. This study determined patient groups for whom safety information regarding TXA is lacking due to common exclusion from perioperative TXA trials.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

A systematic review searching the databases Medline, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and Clinicaltrials.gov was performed. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) administering systemic TXA perioperatively to elective or emergent surgery patients were eligible. Our primary outcome was to describe exclusion criteria of RCTs, and the secondary outcome was TXA safety. A descriptive synthesis of exclusion criteria was performed, and TXA safety was assessed by meta-analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 268 eligible RCTs were included. Meta-analysis showed that systemic TXA did not increase risk of adverse events compared to placebo or no intervention (relative risk, 1.05; 95% confidence interval, 0.99-1.12). Patient groups commonly excluded from perioperative TXA trials, and thus potentially lacking TXA safety data, were those with major comorbidities, a history of thromboembolism, medication use affecting coagulation, TXA allergy, and coagulopathy. Exclusion of patients with major comorbidities may not be necessary; we showed that the risk of adverse events was similar in studies that excluded patients with major comorbidities and those that did not.

CONCLUSION

Sufficient evidence exists to develop perioperative guidelines for TXA use in many populations. Further studies evaluating perioperative TXA use in patients with a history of thromboembolism are warranted.

[Prophylactic use of tranexamic acid in noncardiac surgery : Update 2017]

BACKGROUND

Minimising perioperative bleeding is a key goal of "patient blood management" programs. One component of respective strategies includes preventive inhibition of fibrinolysis using protease inhibitors, such as tranexamic acid (TXA). TXA inhibits plasminogen activation and plasmin-induced fibrin degradation.

OBJECTIVES

The present article provides an overview of the existing literature and TXA applications in the prophylaxis of perioperative bleeding.

METHODS

Literature search in PubMed/MEDLINE (U.S. National Library of Medicine®, Bethesda, MD, USA).

RESULTS

TXA reduces perioperative blood loss and transfusion requirements in several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and meta-analyses in the field of hip and knee arthroplasty for both intravenous and topical use. Moreover, evidence favours use of TXA in complex spine surgery and reconstructive surgery (e. g. craniosynostosis in children). Single RCTs showed benefits of TXA in abdominal hysterectomy, open prostatectomy, liver surgery and actively bleeding trauma patients. For prophylaxis of peripartum haemorrhage (PPH) following vaginal delivery or Caesarean section, TXA cannot be routinely recommended, although evidence points to benefits in actively bleeding patients. A recommendation exists for the treatment of (active) PPH. For prophylactic perioperative administration, different dosage regimens exist for adults. Most often an initial i. v. bolus of 1 g or 10-15 mg/kg body weight with/without repetition after 6 h or continuous infusions over 8 h is administered. Increased rates of thromboembolic events were not noted.

CONCLUSION

Protease inhibitors such as TXA reduce perioperative blood loss and transfusion requirements in selected surgical fields.

Tranexamic acid in epistaxis: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

The role of tranexamic acid in the management of epistaxis remains unclear. There is uncertainty about its safety and about the contraindications for its use. We performed a systematic review of the use of systemic and topical tranexamic acid in epistaxis and a comparative review of its use in other specialties.

OBJECTIVE OF REVIEW

This review assesses and summarises the existing evidence for the efficacy and safety of tranexamic acid in the management of epistaxis.

TYPE OF REVIEW

Systematic review.

SEARCH STRATEGY

MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched for 'epistaxis' and equivalent MESH terms, combined with the Boolean operator 'OR' and 'tranexamic acid'. The Cochrane library and society guidelines were reviewed for evidence regarding the use of tranexamic acid in other specialties.

EVALUATION METHOD

All five relevant RCTs were included in the review and were evaluated according to the recommendations of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews.

RESULTS

Three RCTS pertained to spontaneous epistaxis; of these, one trial found no benefit of oral tranexamic acid in acute epistaxis, one trial found no significant benefit of topical tranexamic acid, but the largest of the trials showed significant benefit of topical tranexamic acid in acute epistaxis management. Two RCTs examined oral tranexamic acid for prophylaxis of recurrent epistaxes in patients with hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia; both showed significant reduction in severity and frequency.

CONCLUSIONS

Tranexamic acid, as a WHO 'essential medicine', is a powerful, readily available tool, the use of which in epistaxis has been limited by uncertainty over its efficacy and its safety profile. This systematic review summarises the existing evidence and extrapolates from the wealth of data for other specialties to address the clinical question - does TXA have a role in epistaxis management?

Evaluation of the Efficacy of Tranexamic Acid on the Surgical Field in Primary Cleft Palate Surgery on Children-A Prospective, Randomized Clinical Study

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effect of tranexamic acid on the quality of the surgical field.

DESIGN

Prospective, randomized, double-blind study.

SETTING

Institutional, tertiary referral hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status class I patients, aged 8 to 60 months with Group II or III (Balakrishnan's classification) clefts scheduled for cleft palate repair.

INTERVENTIONS

Children were randomized into two groups. The control group received saline, and the tranexamic acid group received tranexamic acid 10 mg/kg as a bolus, 15 minutes before incision.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Grade of surgical field on a 10-point scale, surgeon satisfaction, and primary hemorrhage.

RESULTS

Significant improvements were noted in surgeon satisfaction and median grade of assessment of the surgical field (4 [interquartile range, 4 to 6] in the control group vs. 3 [interquartile range, 2 to 4] in the test group; P = .003) in the tranexamic acid group compared to the control group.

CONCLUSION

Preincision administration of 10 mg/kg of tranexamic acid significantly improved the surgical field during cleft palate repair.

Tranexamic acid--an old drug still going strong and making a revival

Experience with tranexamic acid, an indirect fibrinolytic inhibitor, started as soon as it was released from Shosuke Okamoto's lab in the early 1960s. It was first prescribed to females with heavy menstrual blood loss and to patients with hereditary bleeding disorders. Soon the indications were widened to elective surgery because of its blood saving effects. Contraindications are few, most important is ongoing venous or arterial thrombosis and allergy to tranexamic acid, and the doses has to be reduced in renal insufficiency. In randomized controlled trials, however, patients with other risk factors are excluded as well (patients with history of cardiovascular disease, thromboembolism, bleeding diathesis, renal failure with creatinine >250μmol/L, pregnancy, and patients on treatment with anticoagulants). Recent meta-analyses of several randomized controlled trials in orthopedic arthroplasty have shown that tranexamic acid reduces peri- and postoperative blood loss, blood transfusion requirements and reoperations caused by bleedings. In general, the preoperative dose was 10-15mg/kg i.v. (or 1g), followed or not, by one or two doses, some as continuous infusion i.v. To validate relationship between dose and effect more data are needed. No evidence was found of increased thromboembolic accidents or other adverse events in the patients on tranexamic acid compared to the control groups. In major cardiac surgery tranexamic acid has been used in a large number of controlled trials with various dosing schemes in which the highest dosages seem to be associated with neurotoxicity; therefore a maximum total dose of 100mg/kg especially in patients over 50years of age is recommended by ISMICS (International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery). Other indications for tranexamic acid are reviewed here as well. In recent years the extensive trial in severe trauma with massive bleedings using tranexamic acid was presented, CRASH-2 (Clinical Randomisation of an Antifibrinolytic in Significant Haemorrhage) comprising more than 20,000 patients. It showed that the survival was increased when tranexamic acid was given early after the accident compared to placebo; further studies are taking place is this field to get more information. Of utmost importance is the ongoing WOMAN (World Maternal Antifibrinolytic) a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial among 15,000 with clinical diagnosis of postpartum haemorrhage bearing in mind that each year a large number of women in low and middle income countries, die from causes related to childbirth. In summary, we consider tranexamic acid is a drug of great value to reduce almost any kind of bleeding, it is cheap and convenient to use and has principally few contraindications. It may be added, that tranexamic acid is included in the WHOs list of essential medicines.

Effect of topical tranexamic acid on bleeding and quality of surgical field during functional endoscopic sinus surgery in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis: a triple blind randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND

The effect of tranexamic acid (TXA) on bleeding and improvement of surgical field during functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) is not clear yet. This study was conducted to answer this question.

METHODS

This trial was conducted on 60 patients with chronic sinusitis at Beasat Hospital, Hamadan, Iran, from April to November 2013. Thirty patients in the intervention group received three pledgets soaked with TXA 5% and phenylephrine 0.5% for 10 minutes in each nasal cavity before surgery. Thirty patients in the control group received phenylephrine 0.5% with the same way. The amount of bleeding and the quality of surgical field were evaluated at 15, 30, and 45 minutes after the start of surgery using Boezaart grading.

RESULTS

The quality of the surgical field in the intervention group compared to the control group was significantly better in the first quarter (P = 0.002) and the second quarter (P = 0.003) but not in the third quarter (P = 0.163). Furthermore, the amount of bleeding was much less during all periods in the intervention group than in the control group (P = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Topical TXA can efficiently reduce bleeding and improve the surgical field in FESS in patients with rhinosinusitis. Based on these findings, topical TXA may be a useful method for providing a suitable surgical field during the first 30 minutes after use.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials IRCT201212139014N15.

Tranexamic acid – a useful drug in ENT surgery?

Background:

Tranexamic acid is a synthetic antifibrinolytic drug. It has been widely available for over 40 years, but only recently has it started to be used routinely in many surgical disciplines. For ENT surgeons, epistaxis and post-tonsillectomy bleeding contribute a significant proportion of the morbidity and emergency workload in a general ENT department. Published evidence indicates a potentially helpful role for tranexamic acid in managing epistaxis.

Results and conclusion:

To date, the benefits of tranexamic acid as a prophylactic treatment to reduce the rate and severity of post-tonsillectomy bleeding are less certain. Two recently published pilot studies looking at primary haemorrhage in children and secondary haemorrhage in adults following tonsillectomy suggest that further large, randomised trials should explore the efficacy of tranexamic acid in routine ENT surgery. There are potential reductions in patient morbidity and cost savings if tranexamic acid is found to be efficacious in larger trials.