Effect of high or low protamine dosing on postoperative bleeding following heparin anticoagulation in cardiac surgery. A randomised clinical trial.

While experimental data state that protamine exerts intrinsic anticoagulation effects, protamine is still frequently overdosed for heparin neutralisation during cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Since comparative studies are lacking, we assessed the influence of two protamine-to-heparin dosing ratios on perioperative haemostasis and bleeding, and hypothesised that protamine overdosing impairs the coagulation status following cardiac surgery. In this open-label, multicentre, single-blinded, randomised controlled trial, patients undergoing on-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery were assigned to a low (0.

Ten-year patterns in blood product utilization during cardiothoracic surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass in a tertiary hospital.

Background: This retrospective analysis describes blood conservation strategies and overall consumption of red blood cells (RBCs), fresh-frozen plasma (FFP), and platelet (PLT) concentrates during nonaortic cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in a tertiary hospital over a 10-year period.

Study Design And Methods: Study variables of 6026 patients that underwent cardiac surgery between 2002 and 2011 were incorporated in the database and included hemoglobin (Hb), lowest temperature, CPB duration, 24-hour blood loss, fluid balance, and overall transfusion requirements.

Results: Between 2002 and 2011, the lowest intraoperative Hb levels and temperature increased from 8.

Intraoperative cell salvage is associated with reduced postoperative blood loss and transfusion requirements in cardiac surgery: a cohort study.

Background: This study investigated whether implementation of cell salvage of shed mediastinal and residual blood in all patients undergoing low-to-moderate-risk cardiac surgery reduces the need for allogeneic red blood cell (RBC) transfusion compared to patients not subjected to cell salvage.

Study Design And Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients undergoing low-to-moderate-risk cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass without (control; n = 531) or with cell salvage (n = 433; Autolog, Medtronic). Study endpoints, including 24-hour blood loss and RBC requirements, were evaluated using adjusted logistic regression.

The impact of balanced hydroxylethyl starch cardiopulmonary bypass priming solution on the fibrin part of clot formation: ex vivo rotation thromboelastometry.

Introduction: Balanced colloidal priming solutions are supposed to further minimize the effects of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) on haemostasis as compared to gelatin-based preparations. This exploratory study investigated whether clot formation, in particular the fibrin part of the clot, is less altered by a modern balanced HES solution as compared to a gelatin-based priming solution.

Methods: CPB priming solutions containing 60% gelatin (Gelofusin®) or balanced HES starch (100% or 60% Tetraspan®) were mixed with blood samples from healthy volunteers and compared with respect to their impact on clotting time (CT), alpha angle, maximum clot firmness (MCF), and fibrinogen, using thromboelastometry.

Removal of aprotinin from low-dose aprotinin/tranexamic acid antifibrinolytic therapy increases transfusion requirements in cardiothoracic surgery.

This retrospective study investigated whether withdrawal of aprotinin from combined low-dose aprotinin/tranexamic acid (TXA) antifibrinolytic therapy altered postoperative blood loss and transfusion requirements in patients undergoing cardiothoracic surgery employing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The study included data from patients receiving a combination of low-dose aprotinin (2×10(6) KIU in CPB prime; n=615) and 2000 mg TXA or patients receiving TXA only (n=587). In both groups, TXA was given after protamine administration.

Profound effects of cardiopulmonary bypass priming solutions on the fibrin part of clot formation: an ex vivo evaluation using rotation thromboelastometry.

Objectives: Dilutional coagulopathy as a consequence of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) system priming may also be affected by the composition of the priming solution. The direct effects of distinct priming solutions on fibrinogen, one of the foremost limiting factors during dilutional coagulopathy, have been minimally evaluated. Therefore, the authors investigated whether hemodilution with different priming solutions distinctly affects the fibrinogen-mediated step in whole blood clot formation.