Table 2 Confounding information of included studies

Huang (2022)

China

40

Sanders: II–IV

Topical

(1) Before closure: 80 mL 0.5 g/L TXA; (2) After closing: 20 mL 0.5 g/L TXA;

(1) Before closure: 80 mL 0.9% sodium chloride; (2) After closing: 20 mL 0.9% sodium chloride;

3 well-trained senior surgeons

Intraspinal anesthesia

Lateral extensile incision

Xie (2015)

China

90

Sanders: II–III

Intravenously

(1) 15 min before surgery: 15 mg/kg mixed in 100 mL of 0.9% sodium chloride solution;

(1) 15 min before surgery: an equal dose of saline only;

4 surgeons

Mixed (conduction anesthesia; epidural anesthesia; general anesthesia)

Standard extended lateral approach to the calcaneum

Zhong (2021)

China

53

Sanders: III–IV

Topical

(1) Group A: 20 ml of 10 mg/ml TXA solution; (2) Group B: 20 ml of 20 mg/ml TXA solution;

(1) Group C: 20 ml of saline;

1 surgeon

N/A

open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) via lateral approach with an L-shaped incision

Wu (2021)

China

72

N/A

Intravenous

(1) Before Operation: 1 g .0 g/L TXA;

(1) Before Operation: 1.0 g/L TXA;

N\A

General

"L" shape incision