Abstract:

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate patients who used hemovac drains after primary total knee arthroplasty and patients who received tranexamic acid without hemovac drenage; To compare in terms of erythrocyte suspension need and infection rates after surgery. Material and Methods: After the approval of the local ethics committee, the files of patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty due to gonarthrosis between 2018 and 2020 were obtained from the hospital archive. All patients who received 1 gram of transexamic acid while the joint capsule was closing were included in the study. Patients who underwent hemovac were included in the study by lot method by an orthopedic specialist who was not in the study team. Twenty patients in both groups were taken in the study. Results: The mean age of the patients included in the study was found to be 67.8 ± 9.1 (51-90). 35 of the 40 patients were women, 20 patients were operated on the right knee and 20 patients on the left knee. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of age, gender, and the operated side. Erythrocyte suspension was not given in any of the patients who were applied tranexamic, and in the group in which hemovac drain was applied, an average of 1.6 erythrocyte suspension was given to 5 patients. A statistically significant difference was found between the groups in terms of the need for ES transfusion. Conclusion: Intra-articular transamine application after primary total knee arthroplasty causes less blood loss and need for transfusion of blood products compared to hemovac drain application. There was no statistically significant difference between the pre-operative Hb values of the patients. Hemoglobin decrease was found higher in the group in which hemovac drain was applied at 24 and 48 hours, and the difference was considered statistically significant.

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