Usefulness of intraoperative continuous infusion of tranexamic acid during emergency surgery for type A acute aortic dissection.

PURPOSE We investigated the influence of intraoperative continuous tranexamic acid (TA) infusion on the amount of blood transfusion required in emergency surgery for type A acute aortic dissection. METHODS The study was based on the data of 55 consecutive patients who underwent surgery for type A acute aortic dissection. The patients were divided into 2 groups for comparison: Group T, consisting of 26 patients who received intraoperative continuous infusion of TA, and Group N, consisting of 29 patients who did not receive TA infusion during the surgery. RESULTS The mean amounts of blood transfusion required during and after surgery were compared between the 2 groups: they were 10.5 ± 8.7 and 16.2 ± 10.0 units of mannitol-adenine-phosphate-added red cell concentrate, 9.3 ± 8.6 and 17.1 ± 10.0 units of fresh frozen plasma, and 20.4 ± 12.2 and 29.7 ± 14.9 units of platelet concentrate, respectively, in Groups T and N. Thus, the amount of each of these blood products required was significantly reduced in Group T. CONCLUSIONS During emergency surgery for type A acute aortic dissection, continuous infusion of TA resulted in a significant reduction in the amount of blood transfusion required.