TOTAL KNEE ARTHROPLASTY?; POST OPERATIVE MEAN BLOOD LOSS WITH TRANEXAMIC ACID, IS TRANEXAMIC ACID EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING BLOOD LOSS. A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL IN TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL, PAKISTAN

The treatment of choice for osteoarthritic knee is Total knee arthroplasty (TKA)and the most important problem in it is the blood loss. Objectives: To compare the postoperativemean blood loss with Tranexamic acid versus control after Total Knee Arthroplasty.Study Design: Randomized controlled trial. Setting: Ghurki Trust Teaching Hospital Lahore.Period: 01 year. Methodology: 100 patients were included and divided in 2 groups, selectedby non-probability purposive sampling, fulfilling inclusion and exclusion criteria. Group T(Tranexamic) received 15mg/kg IV Tranexamic acid 10 minutes before inflating tourniquet andthe same dose intravenously 3 hours post-operatively. Group C (control) received placebo(normal saline) intravenously. Blood loss collected in a container was measured with syringe/jarafter 24 hours of surgery. Results: In group C there were 23(46%) males and 27(54%) femaleswith male to female ratio 1:1.7 with mean age of 64yrs ± 6.3 yrs. In group T there were 28(56%)males and 22 (44%) females with male to female ratio 1.2:1 with mean age of 65yrs ± 7.4 yrs.After 24 hours Mean blood loss in Group C were 694 ±151 ml with 74 % patient in range of600-900ml while Mean blood loss in Group T were 388 ml ±105 ml with 76 % patient in rangeof 300-600ml. Mean decrease in blood loss with the use of tranexamic acid { mean blood lossin T group – mean blood loss in T group } were 306 ml which were statistically significant(p