title: Transfusion cost savings with tranexamic acid in primary total knee arthroplasty from 2009 to 2012.
abstract: Tranexamic acid (TXA) has proven to be very advantageous to the total knee arthroplasty (TKA) population. With TXA, the need for allogeneic blood transfusion is reduced and thus hospital costs are reduced. In our hospital system, before TXA was used, facility cost was an estimated $84.90/TKA for blood transfusion and required 0.13 man-hours/TKA (transfusion rate 6.5%); after incorporating intravenous TXA, cost was $82.59/TKA for blood transfusion and TXA medication and 0.007 man-hours/TKA (transfusion rate 0.3%). There were no transfusions when TXA was applied topically, and the facility cost was $39.14/TKA and no employee hours consumed. Topical TXA has the potential to significantly reduce blood transfusions and decrease hospital man-hours/TKA as well as achieve larger cost saving.
authors.affiliation: Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Roanoke, VA.
authors.forename: Joseph T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Moskal
authors.affiliation: Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Roanoke, VA.
authors.forename: Ryan N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.affiliation: BENSOL, Warsaw, IN.
authors.forename: Susan G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Capps
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000933:Antifibrinolytic Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000191:economics*; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000191:economics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017046:Cost Savings / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014148:Tranexamic Acid / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000933:Antifibrinolytic Agents; D014148:Tranexamic Acid
keywords: cost saving; primary knee arthroplasty; single institution; tranexamic acid; transfusion rate