Perioperative bleeding control in total hip arthroplasty: hemostatic powder vs. tranexamic acid-a prospective randomized controlled trial.

Background: Perioperative bleeding in total hip arthroplasty (THA) can lead to various problems, so effective management of blood loss is needed. This prospective, single-blind, randomized controlled trial aimed to compare the efficacy of topical administration of SURGICEL ^® (a hemostatic agent of oxidized regenerated cellulose) powder (SP) and tranexamic acid (TXA) in controlling perioperative bleeding during THA.
Materials and Methods: In total, 114 patients undergoing THA for osteoarthritis were randomized to either group S (THA with SP) or group T (THA with TXA). Data including patient demographics, laboratory data (C-reactive protein [CRP], hemoglobin, and hematocrit), operative time, and intraoperative blood loss were analyzed. Clinical outcomes were assessed using WOMAC, JOA, FJS scores, and visual analog scale (VAS) scores. Primary outcomes were estimated total and postoperative blood loss, while secondary outcomes included hematological test results and various clinical scores.
Results: 57 patients were allocated to each group, with 55 in group S and 56 in group T were finally included in the analysis. There was no significant difference (p = 0.141) in estimated total blood loss between group S (788.2 ± 350.1 ml) and group T (714.1 ± 318.4 ml). Hemoglobin and hematocrit levels and WOMAC, and FJS scores were not significantly different between the two groups at any time point. CRP levels were significantly different on postoperative days 4 and 7, and JOA score was significantly different on preoperative and postoperative period. However, the differences in CRP and JOA score values themselves were relatively small and not clinically different.
Conclusions: Topical administration of SP is as effective as TXA in reducing perioperative bleeding in patients undergoing THA. Additionally, no significant difference was observed in early postoperative clinical outcomes between SP and TXA.
Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level I.
Trial Registration: The University Hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN) registration number UMIN000047607.
(© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)