Effect of Retrograde Autologous Priming on Coagulation Assessed by Rotation Thromboelastometry in Patients Undergoing Valvular Cardiac Surgery.

Objectives: To investigate the effect of retrograde autologous priming (RAP) on coagulation function using rotation thromboelastometry (ROTEM) in patients undergoing valvular cardiac surgery.

Design: A prospective, randomized, patient- and outcome assessor-blinded study.

Setting: At a single-center university hospital.

Participants: Patients aged 20 years or older undergoing valvular cardiac surgery.

Interventions: A total of 104 patients were allocated to the RAP or control group (1:1 ratio). In the RAP group, the prime was displaced into the collection bag before bypass initiation. ROTEM was performed at the induction of anesthesia, at the beginning of rewarming, and after the reversal of heparinization. Allogeneic plasma products and platelet concentrates were transfused according to ROTEM-based algorithms.

Measurements And Main Results: An average volume of 635 ± 114 mL was removed using RAP (from the 1,600 mL initial prime volume). The hematocrit 10 minutes after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) was 24.7 ± 3.5% in the control group, and 26.1 ± 4.1% in the RAP group (p = 0.330). ROTEM, including EXTEM, INTEM, and FIBTEM, showed prolonged clotting time and decreased maximal clot firmness after CPB in both groups without intergroup differences. The number of patients who received intraoperative erythrocytes (27% v 25%, control versus RAP, p = 0.823), fresh frozen plasma (14% v 8%, control versus RAP, p = 0.339), cryoprecipitate (21% v 12%, control versus RAP, p = 0.185), or platelet concentrate transfusion (19% v 12%, control versus RAP, p = 0.277) did not differ between the groups.

Conclusions: Cardiopulmonary bypass induced impaired coagulation function on ROTEM. However, RAP did not improve coagulation function when compared with conventional priming in patients undergoing valvular cardiac surgery.