Outcomes of Tranexamic Acid With Anticoagulants in Orthopaedic Trauma Procedures: A Prospective Study

Tranexamic acid, an anti-fibrinolytic agent, is commonly given after induction of general anesthesia in patients undergoing hip and knee arthroplasty. This medication has been associated with decreased blood loss during these procedures, decreased rate of blood transfusion, decreased hospital costs, and no increased risk of thrombotic complication. Given the safety and efficacy of this medication in one subspeciality of orthopedics, it is warranted to investigate the use of it in another subspeciality where blood loss is also of concern. It is also of the utmost importance to identify medications that can safely be given to our population to not only improve patient outcomes but also decrease patient costs in the setting of significant disparities. The application of these findings to orthopedic trauma is not something that has been largely studied or appears in the literature. We hope to fill this gap of knowledge to allow for the application of a safe and beneficial medication to a much larger subset of patients than that that is already receiving the medication routinely. The use of TXA in orthopedic patients who are on anticoagulation versus those who are not is also not something that has been previously studied and another knowledge gap that we hope to fill.