Abstract
The objective of this retrospective study was to investigate efficacy of low-dose aprotinin priming therapy on the requirement of allogeneic transfusion and to identify risk factors for allogeneic transfusion in patients undergoing repeated cardiac operations.
The present study includes a critical review of 124 consecutive charts of patients undergoing elective repeat cardiac surgery. We examined the effect of low-dose aprotinin priming therapy on blood loss, amounts of mediastinal drainage following intensive care unit (ICU) administration and the number of units of blood products given during the perioperative period.
The rate of nonallogeneic transfusion was not affected by low-dose aprotinin priming therapy, although aprotinin reduced the amount of allogeneic transfusion and the amount of mediastinal drainage 12 h following ICU admission.
In conclusion, low-dose aprotinin priming therapy is effective in reducing blood loss and the amount of allogeneic transfusion. However, it failed to improve the rate of cardiac reoperations without allogeneic blood transfusion.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.