Comparison of efficacy of tranexamic acid irrigation versus intravenous injection for preventing blood loss in percutaneous nephrolithotomy

Purpose: Bleeding is the most dreadful and distressing complication of percutaneous nephrolithotomy, which can cause significant morbidity. Intravenous use of tranexamic acid to reduce bleeding complication is widely established. Our aim is to compare the result between the two groups using tranexamic acid intravenous and in irrigation solution. Materials and methods: A total of 160 patients were enrolled in this study. Patients were randomly allocated to two groups. Group 1 received 0.1 % tranexamic acid solution (1000 mg in 1 L of irrigation solution (normal saline)). Group 2 received 1 g tranexamic acid intravenously in intraoperative period. Results: The mean estimated fall in haematocrit, mean estimated total blood loss and mean operative time in tranexamic acid irrigation group is significantly less compared to intravenous tranexamic acid group. No significant difference was found with regards to stone clearance. Conclusion: We found that tranexamic acid irrigation was safe and associated with reduced blood loss as compared to intravenous tranexamic acid.