Every year, millions of people around the world undergo major surgery. These operations may involve the chest, abdomen, pelvis, head, or other important parts of the body.
While modern surgery has become much safer than it was in the past, one challenge remains common: blood loss during an operation.
When patients lose too much blood, doctors often need to give them blood transfusions. A blood transfusion can save lives, but it is not without challenges.
Blood supplies are limited, collecting and storing blood is expensive, and transfusions can sometimes cause complications. Hospitals everywhere are looking for safe ways to reduce the need for transfusions while still protecting patients.
Now, a major Canadian study has found that a low-cost medication called tranexamic acid may offer a simple solution. The research, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, suggests that the drug can significantly reduce the need for blood transfusions during major surgery without increasing the risk of dangerous blood clots.
The study was coordinated by researchers at the University of Manitoba and co-led by scientists from the University of Manitoba and The Ottawa Hospital.
Tranexamic acid is not a new drug. Doctors have used it for more than three decades in certain types of surgery, especially heart operations and some orthopedic procedures. The medicine works by helping blood clots remain stable after they form. This helps prevent excessive bleeding without stopping the body’s natural healing process.
Even though the drug has been available for many years, many doctors have remained cautious about using it broadly.
One major concern has been whether reducing bleeding through stronger clot stability could accidentally increase the risk of harmful blood clots forming in veins or other parts of the body. This concern has been particularly important for cancer patients, who already face a higher risk of developing blood clots.
To answer these questions, researchers launched one of the largest studies ever conducted on the subject. They examined more than 8,000 major surgeries performed at 10 hospitals across Canada between February 2022 and March 2024.
The results showed fewer transfusions in patients receiving tranexamic acid. Researchers also found no increase in dangerous blood clots. The findings suggest the drug may improve surgical safety while helping preserve valuable blood supplies.
Overall, this was a large and carefully designed clinical trial. The results provide strong evidence that tranexamic acid is both effective and safe for many patients undergoing major surgery.
The inclusion of thousands of cancer patients makes the findings particularly important. If adopted widely, this inexpensive medicine could reduce healthcare costs, save blood supplies, and improve patient outcomes worldwide.
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Source: University of Manitoba.
