Does incorporation of thromboelastography improve bleeding prediction following adult cardiac surgery?

Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) coagulopathy increases utilization of allogenic blood/blood products, which can negatively affect patient outcomes. Thromboelastography (TEG) is a point-of-care measurement of clot formation and fibrinolysis. We investigated whether the addition of TEG parameters to a clinically based bleeding model would improve the predictability of postoperative bleeding.

Infectious complications after cardiac surgery: lack of association with fresh frozen plasma or platelet transfusions.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of perioperative transfusion of platelets and fresh frozen plasma (FFP) on infection rates after cardiac surgery.

Design: Retrospective study comparing infection rates after cardiac surgery among patients receiving combinations of packed red blood cells (PRBCs), platelets, and FFP.

Setting: Tertiary care university teaching hospital.

Association of leukocyte-depleted blood transfusions with infectious complications after cardiac surgery.

Background: To test the hypothesis that leukocyte-mediated immunosuppression may contribute to postoperative infections after blood transfusions, we compared the incidence of postoperative infections in patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery who received either leukocyte-depleted (LD-RBCC) or non-LD transfusions of red blood cell concentrates (RBCC) within 48 h of surgery.

Materials And Methods: Data for all primary elective CABG patients between 1995 and 1998 who received allogeneic RBCC transfusions in the first 48 h after surgery were collected. Patients were divided into two groups (group LD: LD-RBCC transfusions only; group non-LD: non-LD-RBCC transfusions only were excluded).