← Back to Clinical Trials
Recruiting Phase 2, Phase 3 NCT02314988

NCT02314988 Tranexamic Acid to Reduce Blood Loss in Spine Surgery

◆ AI Clinical Summary
Plain-language summary for patients
Clinical Trial Summary
NCT ID NCT02314988
Status Recruiting
Phase Phase 2, Phase 3
Sponsor Columbia University
Condition Spinal Injuries
Study Type INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment 252 participants
Start Date 2020-06-15
Primary Completion 2027-07

Eligibility & Interventions

Sex All sexes
Min Age 18 Years
Max Age 80 Years
Study Type INTERVENTIONAL
Interventions
Tranexamic AcidPlacebo

Eligibility Fast-Check

Enter your details for a quick preliminary check. This does not replace medical advice.

What to Expect as a Participant

You will actively receive the study intervention — which may be a drug, biologic, device, or procedure.

In Phase 2, researchers evaluate early signs of effectiveness. You may be randomized to receive the active treatment or a comparator. Monitoring continues closely.

This trial targets 252 participants in total. It began in 2020-06-15 with a primary completion date of 2027-07.

⚠ This information is for research awareness only. Always consult your physician before joining any clinical trial. Participation is voluntary and you may withdraw at any time.

Brief Summary

This study is designed to evaluate the efficacy of topical tranexamic acid to reduce perioperative blood loss, reduction in postoperative drain output and allogenic transfusion requirements. The proposed study will be a prospective, randomized, double-blind (subject, surgeons, investigators, research coordinators) placebo-controlled study. Patients requiring posterior spinal fusion will be enrolled for this study. Furthermore, patients undergoing elective complex deformity surgery will also be enrolled. Both populations of patients will be randomized into two groups. Group I will receive standard of care operative fixation with topical tranexamic acid intervention (test); Group II will receive standard of care operative fixation with normal saline (placebo) intervention. This study will have a 2-year follow-up and will consist of three periods: screening/enrollment phase up to 21 days from the day of injury to the day of randomization and operative intervention, an inpatient data collection period for 4 days postoperative, and then a follow-up period for 2-years postoperative (visits occurring at 16 weeks, 1 year, and 2 year) time points.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Thoracic or lumbar spinal column injury with or without neurologic deficit requiring surgical fixation 2. Surgical fixation to be performed within 21 days of injury 3. Adult patients undergoing long segment (\>5 fusion levels) posterior spinal fusions Exclusion Criteria: 1. Age \<18 or \>80 years old 2. Severe soft tissue disruption around planned surgical site preventing adequate primary wound closure 3. Physiologic instability or ongoing sepsis/infection 4. Use of intravenous tranexamic acid during the pre-study period 5. Ballistic spinal column injury 6. Allergy to tranexamic acid 7. Disturbances of color vision or color blindness 8. Pre-operative hemoglobin value of \<7 g/dL, or \<10 g/dL if patient has comorbidities or symptoms which will require pre-operative allogeneic blood transfusion 9. Refusal to consent for blood products 10. Participation in another clinical trial 11. Moderate or severe traumatic brain injuries that do not allow participation in individual patient outcomes surveys 12. Subarachnoid hemorrhage, anecdotal experience indicates that cerebral edema and cerebral infarction may be caused by TXA 13. Concomitant use of Factor IX Complex concentrates or Anti-inhibitor Coagulant concentrates, as the risk of thrombosis may be increased 14. Preoperative use of anticoagulant therapy (heparin, low-molecular weight heparin, warfarin) within three days before surgery, or non-steroid inflammatory medication (aspirin, ibuprofen, naprosyn) use within seven days before surgery 15. Fibrinolytic disorders requiring intraoperative antifibrinolytic treatment 16. Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) 17. Coagulopathy (as identified by a preoperative platelet count of \<150,000/mm3, an international normalized ratio of \>1.4, or a prolonged partial thromboplastin time \>1.4 times normal) 18. History of arterial or venous thromboembolic disease (such as a cerebrovascular accident, deep-vein thrombosis, or pulmonary embolus), as these patients may be at increased risk for venous or arterial thrombosis 19. Upper urinary tract or ureteral injury (ureteral obstruction due to clot formation in patients with upper urinary tract bleeding has been reported) 20. Pregnancy or breastfeeding (Category B) 21. Substantial renal dysfunction (as assessed by a serum creatinine \> 1.5 or calculated creatinine clearance of \< 50) or hepatic failure 22. Major co-morbidities: alcohol or drug abuse, illnesses that affect bone or calcium metabolism, connective tissue disorders, coronary artery disease, severe ischemic heart disease \[New York Heart Association Class III or IV\], previous myocardial infarction, severe pulmonary disease \[forced expiratory volume \<50% of normal\], diabetes mellitus (Type I or Type II), immunosuppression, peripheral vascular disease, severe penetrating or hemorrhagic traumatic brain injury, a history of skeletal malignancies, prior external beam or implant radiation therapy involving the skeleton. 23. History of seizure or convulsive disorders, or currently concomitant use of other medications that are known to reduce seizure threshold 24. History of dural tear or open subdural space

Contact & Investigator

Central Contact

Ronald A Lehman, MD

✉ rl2781@cumc.columbia.edu

📞 2129325067

Principal Investigator

Ronald A Lehman, MD

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Columbia University

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can join the NCT02314988 clinical trial?

This trial is open to participants of all sexes, aged 18 Years or older, up to 80 Years, studying Spinal Injuries. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria are listed in the Eligibility Criteria section. Always confirm your eligibility with the research team before applying.

What phase is the NCT02314988 trial and what does that mean for participants?

Phase 2 trials evaluate whether the treatment shows signs of effectiveness while continuing to monitor safety. More participants are enrolled than in Phase 1 to help refine the treatment protocol.

Is NCT02314988 currently recruiting?

Yes, NCT02314988 is actively recruiting participants. Contact the research team at rl2781@cumc.columbia.edu for enrollment information.

Where is the NCT02314988 trial being conducted?

This trial is being conducted at San Francisco, United States, Louisville, United States, New York, United States, Durham, United States.

Who is sponsoring the NCT02314988 clinical trial?

NCT02314988 is sponsored by Columbia University. The principal investigator is Ronald A Lehman, MD at Columbia University. The trial plans to enroll 252 participants.

Related Trials

ClinicalMetric — Independent clinical trial intelligence platform. Not affiliated with NIH, ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. FDA, or any pharmaceutical company, hospital, or clinical research organization. Trial data is sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Do not make any treatment, enrollment, or health decisions based solely on information found here — always consult a qualified healthcare professional. Full Disclaimer  ·  Last Reviewed: April 2026  ·  Data Methodology