Intravenous Tranexamic Acid is Associated With a Clinically Significant Reduction in Blood Loss in Craniosynostosis Surgery

Blood loss is a potential cause of morbidity and mortality in craniosynostosis surgery. Recent reports have suggested that the use of tranexamic acid (TXA), an antifibrinolytic agent, mitigates this blood loss. A retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing craniosynostosis surgery at a tertiary craniofacial hospital in Sydney was undertaken. Primary outcomes were blood loss and transfusion requirements. Two groups were compared: those who received intravenous prophylactic TXA and those who underwent surgery without TXA. Statistical analysis was performed with Student t test and the Mann-Whitney U test for nonparametric results. We identified 206 patients who underwent craniosynostosis surgery over an 8 year period; 78 control patients and 128 patients that received TXA. Tranexamic acid was found to result in a weight-adjusted calculated blood loss mean difference of 9.6 ml/kg across all procedures (P = 0.0332 95% confidence interval 0.7734-18.4266). The actual blood loss reduction achieved with TXA was 6.7 ml/kg in spring cranioplasties, compared to 15.2 ml/kg in fronto-orbital remodeling procedures. There was a statistically and clinically significant reduction in postoperative transfusion incidence, with transfusions required in 27% of controls and 6% of TXA patients (P