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J Knee Surg 2024; 37(04): 249-253
DOI: 10.1055/a-2045-8211
Original Article

Closed Suction Drainage after Total Knee Arthroplasty with Concomitant Intravenous Tranexamic Acid Administration

Slaton Case
1   Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
,
William C. Thomas 
1   Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
2   Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, Illinois
,
Jonathan Edgington
3   Community Healthcare System, Munster, Indiana
,
David Manning
1   Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
2   Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, Illinois
,
Kevin Hardt
1   Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
2   Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, Illinois
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Abstract

Drain use in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) remains controversial. Use has been associated with increased complications, particularly postoperative transfusion, infection, increased cost, and longer hospital stays. However, studies examining drain use were performed before widespread adoption of tranexamic acid (TXA), which markedly reduces transfusion without increasing venous thromboembolism events. We aim to investigate incidence of postoperative transfusion and 90-day return to the operating room (ROR) for hemarthrosis in TKA with use of drains and concomitant intravenous (IV) TXA. Primary TKAs from a single institution were identified from August 2012 to December 2018. Inclusion criteria were primary TKA, age 18 years and over where use of TXA, drains, anticoagulant, and pre- and postsurgical hemoglobin (Hb) were documented during the patient's admission. Primary outcomes were 90-day ROR specifically for hemarthrosis and rate of postoperative transfusion. A total of 2,008 patients were included. Sixteen patients required ROR, three of which were due to hemarthrosis. Drain output was statistically higher in the ROR group (269.3 vs. 152.4 mL, p = 0.05). Five patients required transfusion within 14 days (0.25%). Patients requiring transfusion had significantly lower presurgical Hb (10.2 g/dL, p = 0.01) and 24-hour postoperative Hb (7.7 g/dL, p < 0.001). Drain output between the transfusion and no transfusion groups varied significantly (p = 0.03), with transfusion patients having higher postoperative day 1 drain output of 362.6 mL and total drain output of 376.6 mL. In this series, postoperative drain use with concomitant weight-based IV TXA is shown to be safe and efficacious. We observed exceedingly low risk of postoperative transfusion compared with prior reports of drain use alone as well as preserved low rate of hemarthrosis that has previously been positively linked to drain use.

Keywords

primary total knee arthroplasty - closed suction drainage - tranexamic acid - total knee arthroplasty complications


Publication History

Received: 07 December 2022

Accepted: 24 February 2023

Accepted Manuscript online:
02 March 2023

Article published online:
06 April 2023

© 2023. Thieme. All rights reserved.

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