Background & Study Aims: Consensus is lacking regarding the optimal route and dose of administration of Tranexamic acid (TXA) so this study was conducted to compare the efficacy and safety of topical, oral and intravenous routes (iv) of TXA with routine hemostasis alone in patients undergoing primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Materials and methods: A prospective randomized trial was conducted in patients undergoing primary TKA. Patients were divided into four groups of 50 each; group 1 received intraarticular TXA, group 2 received oral TXA three hours before surgery, group 3 received IV TXA just before tourniquet release and group 4 did not receive TXA. Post-operative drain volume (PODV), fall in haemoglobin (Hb) level and the required amount of blood transfusion were evaluated. Results: PODV and drop in Hb level respectively were (158±90 ml and 1±0.5 g/dl) in group 1, (328±149 ml and 1.7±0.7 g/dl) in group 2, (311±151 ml and 2.1±1 g/dl) in group 3 and (589±115 ml and 3.2±1.2 g/dl) in group 4. The difference in drain volume between all groups was statistically significant except between groups 2 and 3. Transfusion requirements were significantly greater in group 4 (p< 0.001). Conclusions: Intra-articular, oral and IV TXA were observed to be safe strategies and more effective than tamponade effect alone to reduce drain volume and transfusion requirements after TKA. Additionally, intra-articular TXA was better than oral or IV TXA with respect to drain volume and post-op drop in Hb
To objectively assess wound healing utilizing a novel digital photo planimetry method. 58 wounds mostly of traumatic origin were studied. In method I (control or gold standard), a transparent plastic graph paper sheet with 2.5 mm squares was placed on the wound to trace the wound edges. This was scanned and analyzed in Adobe Photoshop (PS6) to estimate the area. In the novel method (method II), we clicked a photo with one-inch lines marked (on either side of the wound). This photo was similarly assessed in PS6. A two-sample t-test was used for analysis. Photos were clicked every third day. The time taken to calculate the resultant area was also noted. 484 photos and 1936 values were analyzed. The mean areas obtained were 10690 mm 2 and 10859 mm 2 respectively by methods I and II. The mean difference was 0.824%, 95% CI [-0.05, 1.60] and p = 0.923. The inter and intra- observer variation was < 2% for all readings. The time taken by the novel method was much lesser than the time-tested method (mean = 82 sec vs 178 sec; p < 0.01). The difference in area by the two methods is not statistically significant. The accuracy of both methods is therefore comparable. Our novel method is easier, more cost-effective, equally accurate, safer and repro- ducible in comparison with the transparency squares method, especially for flat or 2-dimensional wounds.
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