To Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of the Saline-coupled Bipolar Sealer in Primary Unilateral Total Knee Arthroplasty

NCT ID: NCT03952546

Last Updated: 2023-02-15

Study Results

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Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

211 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2019-05-07

Study Completion Date

2021-06-09

Brief Summary

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The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the saline-coupled bipolar sealer compared to the unipolar electrocautery provides superior hemostasis in patients undergoing primary unilateral total knee arthroplasty. This will be a prospective, randomized, single-blinded, non-inferiority study in patients scheduled for a primary unilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA) with Dr. Eugene Krauss or Dr. Ayal Segal. The restriction of this study to two surgeons will limit variations in the outcomes being measured due to differences in surgical technique.

Detailed Description

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Total joint arthroplasty can result in significant blood loss. Minimizing blood loss has led to multiple blood conservation strategies in orthopaedic procedures. The use of unipolar electrocautery or the saline-coupled bipolar sealer are methods used to reduce intraoperative bleeding. Saline-coupled bipolar sealer technology initially demonstrated promising results in the literature when it was reported that this technology had superior efficacy by reducing blood loss and transfusion requirements in orthopaedic surgery. However, the saline-coupled bipolar sealer technology comes at a significantly higher cost when compared to the unipolar electrocautery. A bipolar electrode costs an additional $450.00 per case, whereas, the unipolar electrocautery catheter is included in all the pre-packaged orthopedic surgical trays. The added cost of the saline-coupled bipolar sealer was offset by the potential savings in the reduced need for blood transfusions. A single blood transfusion is estimated to be $750-$1200. This cost includes both the direct cost of the blood and the additional nursing time needed. Recent publications have challenged the superiority of the saline-coupled bipolar sealer in hemostasis. These randomized clinical trials (RCT) have not supported superiority of this method when compared to standard unipolar electrocautery and the continued use of the saline-coupled bipolar sealer has been questioned. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the saline-coupled bipolar sealer compared to the unipolar electrocautery provides superior hemostasis in patients undergoing primary unilateral total knee arthroplasty. This will be a prospective, randomized, single-blinded, non-inferiority study in patients scheduled for a primary unilateral TKA with Dr. Eugene Krauss or Dr. Ayal Segal. The restriction of this study to two surgeons will limit variations in the outcomes being measured due to differences in surgical technique.

Conditions

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Surgical Blood Loss

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

DOUBLE

Participants Caregivers
Blinding of the principal investigator and operating staff is not possible. However, all attempts will be made to keep this information from the hospital staff caring for the patients in the postoperative period. The patient and the postoperative hospital staff will be blinded to the treatment arm. The OR staff will be trained not to discuss this information with the patient. During the transition of care from the OR to the Post Anesthetic Care Unit (PACU) the treatment arm will not be included in the verbal patient report. The lack of this information is not required to effectively manage the patient in the postoperative period and will not affect patient care. Postoperatively medical care is managed by the hospitalist, medical doctors specializing in the care of hospitalized patients.

Study Groups

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Treatment Arm

Saline-coupled bipolar sealer

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Saline-coupled Bipolar Sealer

Intervention Type DEVICE

The Aquamantys® System is a commercially available device used routinely used in the operating room for a wide variety of surgical cases. It allows for temperatures to stay at approximately 100°C, nearly 200°C less than conventional devices, which produces a tissue effect without the charring associated with other methods. The temperature is sufficient to shrink collagen fibers in the walls of blood vessels, effectively sealing the blood vessels, resulting in the reduction in bleeding from both soft tissue and bone. The device can be used to spot coagulate vessels that are actively bleeding or to broadly paint tissue surfaces to prevent bleeding or treat active oozing.

Control Arm

Unipolar electrocautery

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Unipolar electrocautery

Intervention Type DEVICE

The Coviden ForceTriad™ energy platform is a full-featured electrosurgical system that provides electrosurgical cutting and coagulation, bipolar functionality, and vessel sealing in a single generator.

Interventions

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Saline-coupled Bipolar Sealer

The Aquamantys® System is a commercially available device used routinely used in the operating room for a wide variety of surgical cases. It allows for temperatures to stay at approximately 100°C, nearly 200°C less than conventional devices, which produces a tissue effect without the charring associated with other methods. The temperature is sufficient to shrink collagen fibers in the walls of blood vessels, effectively sealing the blood vessels, resulting in the reduction in bleeding from both soft tissue and bone. The device can be used to spot coagulate vessels that are actively bleeding or to broadly paint tissue surfaces to prevent bleeding or treat active oozing.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Unipolar electrocautery

The Coviden ForceTriad™ energy platform is a full-featured electrosurgical system that provides electrosurgical cutting and coagulation, bipolar functionality, and vessel sealing in a single generator.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Other Intervention Names

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Aquamantys System(TM) Covidien ForceTriad(TM)

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

1. Patients scheduled for primary unilateral total knee arthroplasty with Dr. Krauss or Dr. Segal
2. Preoperative Hemoglobin \>11mg/dL
3. Preoperative platelet count of \>150,000
4. Age \>18
5. Patient is freely able to provide consent
6. American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification I-III (Appendix J)
7. Patient willing to complete all study related procedures

Exclusion Criteria

1. Patients allergic to aspirin
2. Patients with an intolerance to aspirin
3. Patients with a contraindication to Apixaban
4. Any patient who is not a candidate for venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk stratification according to the calculated Caprini Risk Assessment Score. This includes, but is not limited to, any patient who cannot be prescribed ASA 81 mg bid or Apixiban 2.5 mg bid for VTE prophylaxis
5. Patients who for any reason are not a candidate for the use of the monopolar electrocautery
6. History of venous thromboembolism (Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), Pulmonary Embolism (PE)) within 12 months prior to the date of surgery
7. Mitral valve replacement or aortic valve replacement with additional risk factor for stroke (atrial fibrillation, previous thromboembolism, left ventricular dysfunction, hypercoagulable conditions)
8. Active cancer
9. Inheritied thrombophilia, eg: Factor V Leiden, Protein C and S deficiencies, Antithrombin deficiency, Prothrombin 20210A mutations
10. Acquired thrombophilia, eg: Lupus anticoagulant, antiphospholipid antibody syndrome
11. Patients taking clopidogrel (Plavix), ticagrelor(Brilinta), or prasugrel (Effient) or any other antiplatelet medication (except for aspirin 81 mg)
12. Patients unable to get intravenous tranexamic acid (TXA) for any reason
13. Patients requiring anticoagulant treatment prior to surgery
14. History of stroke or trans-ischemic attack
15. Serum creatinine \> 2.8 mg/dl
16. History of hepatic failure
17. Any medical condition that in the opinion of the investigator would require special fluid management protocols during or after surgery
18. Allergy to TXA
19. Preoperative hemoglobin \< 11
20. Preoperative platelets \< 150,000
21. Blood transfusion within 1 month of surgery
22. ASA classification IV or V
23. Patients who are unwilling to undergo blood transfusion, if necessary
24. Evidence of active (systemic or local) infection at time of surgery
25. Patients who have habitual opioid use
26. Patients who have a psychiatric or mental illness which could impair the consent process or ability to complete patient-reported questionnaires
27. Fixed motor deficit affecting functional assessment of the knee
28. Patients unable to have spinal anesthesia
29. Patients receiving erythropoietin therapy for anemia
30. Patients who are unable to stop their daily aspirin, aspirin-like products, and/or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents 7 days prior to surgery for any reason
31. Patients with a contraindication for the pneumatic tourniquet applied in the operating room
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Northwell Health

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Eugene S. Krauss, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Northwell Health

Locations

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Syosset Hospital

Syosset, New York, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

References

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Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 23706802 (View on PubMed)

Plymale MF, Capogna BM, Lovy AJ, Adler ML, Hirsh DM, Kim SJ. Unipolar vs bipolar hemostasis in total knee arthroplasty: a prospective randomized trial. J Arthroplasty. 2012 Jun;27(6):1133-7.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.arth.2011.09.016. Epub 2011 Nov 4.

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PMID: 22054904 (View on PubMed)

Dunne JR, Malone D, Tracy JK, Gannon C, Napolitano LM. Perioperative anemia: an independent risk factor for infection, mortality, and resource utilization in surgery. J Surg Res. 2002 Feb;102(2):237-44. doi: 10.1006/jsre.2001.6330.

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Tobias JD. Strategies for minimizing blood loss in orthopedic surgery. Semin Hematol. 2004 Jan;41(1 Suppl 1):145-56. doi: 10.1053/j.seminhematol.2003.11.025.

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Esler CN, Blakeway C, Fiddian NJ. The use of a closed-suction drain in total knee arthroplasty. A prospective, randomised study. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 2003 Mar;85(2):215-7. doi: 10.1302/0301-620x.85b2.13357.

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PMID: 12678355 (View on PubMed)

Marulanda GA, Ulrich SD, Seyler TM, Delanois RE, Mont MA. Reductions in blood loss with a bipolar sealer in total hip arthroplasty. Expert Rev Med Devices. 2008 Mar;5(2):125-31. doi: 10.1586/17434440.5.2.125.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 18331175 (View on PubMed)

Weeden SH, Schmidt RH, Isabell G. Haemostatic efficacy of a bipolar sealing device in minimally invasive total knee arthroplasty. J Bone Joint Surg Br Proceedings 2009; 91-B:45.

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Morris MJ, Berend KR, Lombardi AV Jr. Hemostasis in anterior supine intermuscular total hip arthroplasty: pilot study comparing standard electrocautery and a bipolar sealer. Surg Technol Int. 2010 Oct;20:352-6.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 21082586 (View on PubMed)

Morris MJ, Barrett M, Lombardi AV Jr, Tucker TL, Berend KR. Randomized blinded study comparing a bipolar sealer and standard electrocautery in reducing transfusion requirements in anterior supine intermuscular total hip arthroplasty. J Arthroplasty. 2013 Oct;28(9):1614-7. doi: 10.1016/j.arth.2013.01.032. Epub 2013 Mar 16.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 23507071 (View on PubMed)

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PMID: 20097039 (View on PubMed)

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Johansson T, Engquist M, Pettersson LG, Lisander B. Blood loss after total hip replacement: a prospective randomized study between wound compression and drainage. J Arthroplasty. 2005 Dec;20(8):967-71. doi: 10.1016/j.arth.2005.02.004.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 16376249 (View on PubMed)

Yang Y, Zhang LC, Xu F, Li J, Lv YM. Bipolar sealer not superior to standard electrocautery in primary total hip arthroplasty: a meta-analysis. J Orthop Surg Res. 2014 Oct 10;9:92. doi: 10.1186/s13018-014-0092-5.

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Eipe NP, Ponniah M. Perioperative blood loss assessment-how accurate? Indian J Anaesth. 2006;50(1):35-38

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Barsoum WK, Klika AK, Murray TG, Higuera C, Lee HH, Krebs VE. Prospective randomized evaluation of the need for blood transfusion during primary total hip arthroplasty with use of a bipolar sealer. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2011 Mar 16;93(6):513-8. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.J.00036.

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Kamath AF, Austin DC, Derman PB, Clement RC, Garino JP, Lee GC. Saline-coupled bipolar sealing in simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty. Clin Orthop Surg. 2014 Sep;6(3):298-304. doi: 10.4055/cios.2014.6.3.298. Epub 2014 Aug 5.

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Abuzakuk T, Senthil Kumar V, Shenava Y, Bulstrode C, Skinner JA, Cannon SR, Briggs TW. Autotransfusion drains in total knee replacement. Are they alternatives to homologous transfusion? Int Orthop. 2007 Apr;31(2):235-9. doi: 10.1007/s00264-006-0159-y. Epub 2006 Jun 8.

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Pfeiffer M, Brautigam H, Draws D, Sigg A. A new bipolar blood sealing system embedded in perioperative strategies vs. a conventional regimen for total knee arthroplasty: results of a matched-pair study. Ger Med Sci. 2005 Dec 13;3:Doc10.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
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Clement RC, Kamath AF, Derman PB, Garino JP, Lee GC. Bipolar sealing in revision total hip arthroplasty for infection: efficacy and cost analysis. J Arthroplasty. 2012 Aug;27(7):1376-81. doi: 10.1016/j.arth.2011.11.016. Epub 2012 Jan 21.

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Diedo N, Moore G, et al. Effectiveness of the bipolar sealer in reducing blood loss in total knee arthroplasty. International Journal of Orthopaedic and Trauma Nursing (2013) 17, 29-37

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Suarez JC, Slotkin EM, Szubski CR, Barsoum WK, Patel PD. Prospective, Randomized Trial to Evaluate Efficacy of a Bipolar Sealer in Direct Anterior Approach Total Hip Arthroplasty. J Arthroplasty. 2015 Nov;30(11):1953-8. doi: 10.1016/j.arth.2015.05.023. Epub 2015 May 19.

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Marulanda GA, Krebs VE, Bierbaum BE, Goldberg VM, Ries M, Ulrich SD, Seyler TM, Mont MA. Hemostasis using a bipolar sealer in primary unilateral total knee arthroplasty. Am J Orthop (Belle Mead NJ). 2009 Dec;38(12):E179-83.

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Lyons ST, Morrison K, Bernasek TL. Sensory neuropathy associated with cauterization using bipolar radio frequency device in primary TKA. Paper presented at: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting; March 9-13, 2010; New Orleans, LA

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Provided Documents

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Document Type: Study Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan

View Document

Other Identifiers

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HS16-0236

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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