Perioperative administration of tranexamic acid in hip fracture surgery (The PATHS study): national audit of current practice

Abstract

Introduction Neck of femur fractures (NOFF) are associated with significant morbidity and mortality, exacerbated by anaemia. Evidence indicates tranexamic acid (TXA) administration in NOFF surgery reduces blood loss and transfusion requirements, without increasing complications. The aim of this study was to establish current TXA administration practice in patients undergoing surgery for NOFF in the UK. Methods We conducted a multicentre prospective study within the UK over a two-week period in March 2019. Pre-, intra- and postoperative data were collected locally and analysed centrally. Results Data for 917 patients were submitted from 66 institutions. Of those eligible, 48.0% received TXA perioperatively. Administration rates varied from 0 to 100%. Significantly greater numbers undergoing arthroplasty received TXA (57.6%) compared with internal fixation (38.4%, p<0.01). Some 15.2% of institutions had a protocol for TXA use in NOFF. Patients treated in these units were significantly more likely to receive TXA (86.7%) than those who were not (41.2% p<0.01). Of those receiving TXA, 92.3% were given 1g intravenously (IV) at anaesthetic administration. Conclusions Despite supportive evidence for its use, a wide variation in the administration of TXA between hospitals and procedures has been demonstrated. Administration rates were higher for arthroplasty than for fixation procedures. Most centres do not have a protocol guiding TXA administration. We recommend administration of 1g IV TXA perioperatively for patients undergoing NOFF surgery, where not contraindicated, unless future randomised controlled trials support an alternative regimen. We recommend units include their own locally agreed TXA policy within a written protocol for the care of NOFF patients.