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Safety and efficacy of tranexamic acid in hepatic surgery: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Breno G A S de Jesus1, Eduardo S R Barreto1, Gabriel S Medrado Nunes1
1Federal University of Bahia, Bahia School of Medicine, Salvador, BA, Brazil.
Background:
Hepatic surgeries involve substantial bleeding risk, associated with perioperative morbidity and mortality. While tranexamic acid (TXA) reduces blood loss in other surgeries, its efficacy in hepatic procedures remains unclear. This meta-analysis evaluates TXA's safety and effectiveness in liver surgeries.
Methods:
We systematically reviewed randomized controlled trials published until April 2025 from PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane CENTRAL. Studies comparing TXA with placebo in adult elective liver surgeries were included. Primary outcomes were blood loss and mortality, while secondary outcomes encompassed blood transfusion needs, thromboembolic, and adverse events. The Cochrane Risk of Bias tool was used for quality assessment.
Results:
Six trials comprising 1875 patients undergoing liver resections or transplants were included. TXA did not reduce intraoperative blood loss (MD = -0.16 L; 95 % CI: -0.50 to 0.18; I2 = 92 %) or mortality (RR = 1.04; 95 % CI: 0.58 to 1.87; I2 = 4 %). Thromboembolic risk showed no significant difference overall (RR = 1.58; 95 % CI: 0.94 to 2.64; I2 = 0 %), but sensitivity analysis indicated a potential increased risk (RR = 1.70; 95 % CI: 1.01 to 2.87).
Conclusion:
Our findings suggest that TXA does not improve bleeding or mortality outcomes in liver surgeries and may increase thromboembolic risk. (PROSPERO number, CRD42024585513).
