Pre-operative tranexemic acid vs. etamsylate in reducing blood loss during elective cesarean section: randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether etamsylate may be an alternative to tranexamic acid in reduction of blood loss during elective cesarean section.

METHODS: Prospective double-blinded multi-center randomized controlled trial involving 180 qualified women equally divided into three groups each containing 60 women received either tranexamic acid, etamsylate or placebo 20 min before elective cesarean section and blood loss was estimated.

RESULTS: Mean blood loss, cases needing blood transfusion and cases needing further interventions were significantly lower in tranexamic acid and etamsylate group than placebo group, while mean postoperative hemoglobin and hematocrite were significantly higher in both tranexamic acid and etamsylate as compared to placebo.

CONCLUSIONS: Etamsylate is an effective second-line therapy (after tranexamic acid) in reducing blood loss during elective cesarean section with low risk of side effects, therefore, it can be an effective alternative to tranexamic acid in cases with contraindications or anticipated to be at high-risk of developing side effects from tranexamic acid.