Background and Objective: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) often necessitates surgical treatment, with open prostatectomy remaining a standard approach. However, this procedure carries a significant risk of intraoperative and postoperative bleeding, often requiring blood transfusions. Tranexamic acid (TXA), an antifibrinolytic agent, has shown potential in reducing surgical blood loss. This study aims to evaluate the effect of intraoperative local administration of TXA on perioperative blood loss in patients undergoing open prostatectomy for BPH. Methods: In this double‐blind randomized controlled trial, 140 patients with BPH were assigned to either a TXA group or control group. In the intervention group, 1 g of TXA was diluted in 100 mL of normal saline and injected into the prostatic fossa during surgery, followed by three additional postoperative doses. The primary outcome was total perioperative blood loss. Secondary outcomes included changes in hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelet count, transfusion requirement, and length of hospital stay. Baseline differences, including a significant age gap between the groups (mean age: TXA group 60.70 ± 7.44 years vs. control group 70.50 ± 6.68 years), were statistically adjusted during analysis. Results: Perioperative blood loss was significantly lower in the TXA group (116.65 ± 43.23 mL) compared to the control group (210.27 ± 87.94 mL, p value = 0.001). The mean hemoglobin drop was also significantly reduced in the TXA group at both 24 and 48 h postoperatively. Fewer patients in the TXA group required blood transfusion (2.85%) compared to the control group (10%, p value = 0.03). No major adverse events directly attributed to TXA were identified, although one patient in the TXA group developed a pulmonary embolism. Conclusion: Intraoperative local administration of TXA significantly reduces perioperative blood loss and the need for blood transfusion in patients undergoing open prostatectomy. TXA appears to be a safe and effective strategy for minimizing surgical bleeding in this setting. Trial Registration: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials: IRCT20180625040232N8
Hemmati-Ghavshough et al. (Wed,) studied this question.