Potential utility of tranexamic acid in combat trauma

Abstract

Tranexamic acid (TXA) lessens surgical bleeding and reduces mortality in patients with traumatic hemorrhage. Hemorrhage is common in combat zones and is one of the most common causes of mortality in a war scenario. The management of hemorrhage involves early arrest/temporization of ongoing bleed and restoration of blood volume to restore physiological stability as soon as possible. TXA by its antifibrinolytic action decreases blood loss, thus circumventing the requirement of massive crystalloid resuscitation, in turn an important causative factor for acute traumatic coagulopathy. Currently, TXA is recommended in acute hemorrhage worldwide; thus, its use in the combat scenario needs to be conceptualized by the primary caregivers. This conceptualization will be discussed in detail in this review article.

Keywords

• tranexamic acid
• coagulopathy
• combat trauma
• hemorrhage
• trauma