The journal of knee surgery
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The use of tranexamic acid (TXA) during primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is well documented. However, considering the potential side effects, including deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), the ideal route of administration remains controversial. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to compare the efficacy of topical versus intravenous TXA and explore the most effective regimen in patients undergoing primary TKA. ⋯ Topical TXA had a similar efficacy to intravenous TXA in reducing blood transfusion and blood loss, and did not increase the risk of thromboembolic complications in primary TKA. Besides, the current meta-analysis suggested that three times of intravenous TXA is efficient and safe. We also recommended 2 g topical TXA instead of 1 g topical TXA because it was more efficient to reduce blood transfusion rate and total blood loss and did not increase thromboembolic complications.
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Perioperative care of the total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patient has evolved considerably over the past decade. Among the changes driving this evolution toward shorter hospitalization and accelerated rehabilitation have been regional anesthesia, peripheral nerve blockade, and multimodal analgesia protocols. ⋯ Continued refinement of technique and critical evaluation is trending toward greater characterization of the comparative effectiveness of myriad options. Contemporary interdisciplinary arthroplasty care teams have the opportunity to individualize the TKA patient's perioperative pain control to optimize not only the clinical outcome but also patient satisfaction.