SERKAN MOLA, ALP YİLDİRİM, ENİS BURAK GUL, HATİCE ZENGİN, ALİ BARAN BUDAK
Turkish Journal of Vascular Surgery - 2025;34(2):164-169
Aim: This study aims to investigate the effects of topically applied tranexamic acid (TXA) on postoperative complications at the saphenous vein graft site following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Material and Methods: A prospective analysis was conducted on 63 patients who underwent CABG between January 2024 and August 2024. Patients were randomly divided into two groups: a TXA group (n=32) who received topical TXA at the saphenous vein incision site, and a control group without TXA (n=31). Outcomes evaluated included leg circumference measurements, incidence of hematoma, ecchymosis, inflammation, necrosis, surgical infection, and mobilization difficulty. Pain and quality of life were assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS) respectively. Results: Patients in the TXA group exhibited significantly lower leg circumference measurements postoperatively on days 1 and 5 (p<0.05). The incidence of severe ecchymosis was significantly lower in the TXA group (3%) compared to (29%) the control group (p=0.001). No statistically significant differences were observed between groups for hematoma, inflammation, or necrosis rates. Hospitalization duration was shorter in the TXA group (4.2±1.8 days) than in the control group (5.6±2.2 days, p=0.02). The TXA group also showed lower VAS pain scores and improved VCSS quality of life scores compared to the control group (p<0.05). Conclusion: Topical application of TXA at the saphenous vein incision site appears to reduce postoperative complications such as ecchymosis and leg swelling, while also improving pain management and quality of life. TXA may help shorten hospital stays and promote early mobilization following CABG. Further large-scale randomized controlled trials are needed to validate these findings and assess TXA’s impact on more severe complications such as hematoma and necrosis.
