Use of bovine thrombin to reduce blood loss in primary total knee arthroplasty: a controlled randomized trial

80 osteoarthritic patients, aged 18 years and older, undergoing total knee arthroplasty were randomized to evaluate the efficacy of bovine thrombin (Thrombin-JMI), over 2 years, in improving blood loss parameters, total drain output, transfusion requirements, length of stay, bleeding related complications and Knee Society Scores (KSS), during and after surgery. The evidence presented in this study indicated that although the use of thrombin during TKA did slightly reduce blood loss, it did not significantly improve any other measured outcome, and therefore may not be a cost effective treatment for hemostasis in TKA patients with osteoarthritis.