Comparative Analysis of the Effectiveness of Tranexamic Acid in Controlling Surgical Blood Loss in Patients Undergoing Liposuction.

[BACKGROUND] Liposuction is one of the most popular plastic surgeries, and blood loss is one of its major complications. Tranexamic acid (TXA), an antifibrinolytic drug, has been shown to reduce blood loss in many surgeries. In this prospective study, the effect of TXA on blood loss in patients, who underwent three different procedures including suction-assisted lipoplasty, vibrational amplification of sound energy at resonance (VASER)-assisted lipoplasty and LipoSaver, was compared.

[METHODS] Thirty-five patients were enrolled in the study. Patients who underwent VASER2.2 technology were assigned to group 1 (n = 12), patients who underwent LipoSaver2000 technology were assigned to group 2 (n = 12), and patients who underwent SAL were assigned to group 3 (n = 11). For each patient, demographic data, tumescent solution and aspirate volumes, and hemoglobin and hematocrit values in the aspirate were compared.

[RESULTS] There was no difference in tumescent volume between the groups, but the aspirate volume from group 3 was significantly higher than the aspirate volume of group 1 (p = 0.001). No difference was detected in terms of Hgb and Hct values in each liter of aspirate, both in terms of the applied liposuction method and TXA application. Additionally, no correlation was observed between gender, age, total inflated volume, total aspirate volume and device use time and Hgb and Htc values in the aspirate.

[CONCLUSION] No significant differences were determined between lipoaspirate, VASER, LipoSaver and SAL in terms of blood loss, and TXA application did not significantly change the Hgb and Htc values in lipoaspirate.

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