Thromboelastography-guided Intraoperative Platelet Transfusion in Pediatric Heart Surgery.

Background: Postoperative bleeding is associated with significant resource use and is an important contributor to other major adverse events in pediatric patients undergoing complex cardiac surgical procedures. Thromboelastography (TEG; TEG 6S, Haemonetics) can guide perioperative blood product transfusions to reduce the risk of postoperative bleeding. This study validated the use of a previously developed TEG 6S maximum amplitude (TEG-MA)-based platelet transfusion calculator used during cardiac surgical procedures to minimize the risk of postoperative bleeding.