Tranexamic acid reduces blood cost in long-segment spinal fusion surgery: A randomized controlled study protocol

OBJECTIVE: Long-segment spinal fusion surgery was associated with substantial perioperative blood loss which may increase hospitalization expenses and mortality rates. Substantial studies have reported that tranexamic acid (TXA) could reduce blood products and cost after joint arthroplasty surgery. However, there still exists controversy regarding the efficacy of TXA in long-segment spinal fusion surgery. We performed this protocol to design a randomized controlled study to evaluate the efficacy of TXA in decreasing transfusion rate of allogeneic blood products and transfusion cost in degenerative lumbar scoliosis patients. METHODS: This study was carried out as a double-blinded, randomized clinical trial on patients with degenerative lumbar scoliosis who prepared for long-segment spinal fusion surgery from December 2018 to December 2019. It was authorized via the Institutional Review Committee in Southwest Medical University (ky2019225). Eighty patients were divided randomly into 2 groups (Experimental group = 40, control group = 40). The patients in the experimental group received 1000 mg of TXA mixed in 100 mL normal saline as a single dose intravenously over 20 minutes before the skin incision was made. Control group received equivalent normal saline without TXA. Primary outcomes included total blood loss, estimated intraoperative blood loss, hematocrit and hemoglobin decline, postoperative drain amount, intra-/postoperative allogeneic transfusion amount and rate, and total transfusion cost. Secondary outcomes included surgical time, thrombotic complications including deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. All the needed analyses were implemented through utilizing SPSS for Windows Version 20.0. RESULTS: Table showed the relevant clinical outcomes between experimental group and control group. CONCLUSION: We hypothesized that TXA was effective and safe in reducing blood transfusion and cost in long-segment spinal fusion surgery. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study protocol was registered in Research Registry (researchregistry5854).