Reducing Blood Loss During Abdominal Hysterectomy with Intravenous Versus Topical Tranexamic Acid: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial

ObjectivesTo assess the effect of intravenous versus topical tranexamic acid in reducing intraoperative and postoperative blood loss in women withabdominal hysterectomy.Materials and MethodsThe study was a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial, carried out in a tertiary university hospital in Egypt, from November 2015 to October 2017. A total of 129 women undergoing abdominal hysterectomy for benign etiology were randomly assigned to three groups: Group I [43 patients received 110ml normal saline IV just before skin in scion], Group II [43 patients received 1g tranexamic acid in 100ml saline IV just before skin in scion], and Group III [43 patients received 2g topical tranexamic acid applied intra-abdominal after hysterectomy]. The primary outcome was intraoperative, postoperative, and all blood loss estimation.ResultsBoth Group II (IV tranexamic acid) and Group III (topical tranexamic acid application) showed great reduction in intraoperative and postoperative blood loss (blood in the intra-abdominal drain) compared with Group I (placebo group), (P=0.0001, 0.0001, 0.0001, 0.0001), so the overall estimated blood loss in groups II and III showed highly reduction compared with Group I (P=0.0001, 0.0001).ConclusionIntravenous and topical tranexamic acid application is a safe and reliable method to help decrease blood loss during and after abdominal hysterectomy.