Background: Visual clarity during shoulder arthroscopy can ensure an efficient and effective performance of the procedure, and it is highly related to bleeding without a tourniquet. Tranexamic acid (TXA) is widely used in adult reconstruction procedures; however, its use in shoulder arthroscopic operations is a relatively novel topic. Purpose: To analyze the available literature on visual clarity, blood loss, pain control, functional outcomes, and complications after the administration of tranexamic acid in shoulder arthroscopic surgery. Methods: A literature search was performed to retrieve randomized controlled trials examining the use of tranexamic acid at the time of shoulder arthroscopic surgery. The literature search included the MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases. The primary outcomes included visual clarity, blood loss, and visual analog scale scores for pain. Secondary outcomes were operative time, irrigation amount used, postoperative shoulder swelling, the need for pressure increase, mean arterial pressure (MAP), functional outcomes, postoperative adverse effects such as deep venous thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism. The outcomes were pooled to perform a meta-analysis. Results: Seven prospective randomized controlled trials met the inclusion criteria for analysis. All of the included studies performed arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. No significant difference in visual clarity was observed (SMD (standardized mean difference), 0.45 [95% CI(confidence interval), −0.68, 1.59]; p = 0.44) nor in pain score (MD (mean difference), −0.46 [95% CI, −0.97, 0.05]; p = 0.08) between the TXA group and the control group. Two studies found no significant difference in blood loss between the TXA group and the control group. The meta-analysis from five studies demonstrated no significant difference between the TXA and control groups in operative time (MD, −3.51 [95% CI, −15.82, 8.80]; p = 0.58) or irrigation amount used (MD, −2.53 [95% CI, −5.93, 0.87]; p = 0.14). Two trials reported different statistical results in postoperative shoulder swelling. No significant differences regarding the need for pressure increase and MAP were reported between groups. No wound complications or infections or cardiac, thrombotic, or thromboembolic complications were recorded in either group. Conclusion: The use of intravenous or local TXA in shoulder arthroscopic surgery did not increase complications or thromboembolic events, but TXA had no obviously effect of reducing bleeding to obtain a clear visual field or pain release in patients undergoing shoulder arthroscopic surgery.

Background and Objectives: Postoperative pain after lower abdominal surgery is typically severe. Traditionally, in pediatric anesthesia, a caudal block (CB) has been used for pain management in these cases. Nowadays, a transversus abdominis plane block (TAPB) seems to be an effective alternative. However, which technique for perioperative analgesia is better and more effective remains unclear in children who undergo abdominal surgeries. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of a TAPB and CB for pain management in children after abdominal surgery by conducting a meta-analysis of published papers in this area. Methods: We conducted a thorough search of PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and the Web of Science for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared a TAPB and CB for pain management in children who had abdominal surgery. Two researchers screened and assessed all the information with RevMan5.3 used for this meta-analysis. Pain scores, the total dose of rescue analgesic given, the mean duration of analgesia, the intraoperative and postoperative hemodynamic conditions 24 h after surgery, and adverse events were compared. Results: 15 RCTs that involved a total of 970 pediatric patients were included in this study. The results of this meta-analysis showed that there were no significant differences between the 2 groups in terms of postoperative pain scores at 1 h (SMD = 0.35; 95% CI = −0.54 to 1.24; p = 0.44, I² = 94%), 6 h (SMD = −0.10; 95% CI = −0.44 to −0.23; p = 0.55, I² = 69%), 12 h (SMD = −0.02; 95% CI = −0.45 to −0.40; p = 0.93, I² = 80%), and 24 h (SMD = −0.66; 95% CI = −1.57 to −0.25; p = 0.15, I² = 94%); additional analgesic requirement (OR 0.25; 95% CI 0.09 to 0.63; p = 0.004, I² = 72%); total dose of rescue analgesic given in 24 h (SMD = −0.37; 95% CI = −1.33 to −0.58; p = 0.44; I² = 97%); mean duration of analgesia (SMD = 1.29; 95% CI = 0.01 to 2.57; p = 0.05, I² = 98%); parents’ satisfaction (SMD = 0.44; 95% CI = −0.12 to 1.0; p = 0.12; I² = 80%); and intraoperative and postoperative hemodynamic conditions 24 h after the surgery and adverse events (SMD = 0.78; 95% CI = 0.22 to 2.82; p = 0.70; I² = 62%). Compared to a CB, a TAPB resulted in a small but significant reduction in additional analgesic requirement after surgery (OR 0.25; 95% CI 0.09 to 0.63; p = 0.004). Conclusions: TAPBs and CBs result in similar efficient early analgesia and safety profiles in children undergoing abdominal surgeries. Moreover, no disparities were observed for adverse effects between TAPBs and CBs.