RESUMO
Introduction: Thromboelastography (TEG) provides an overall assessment of the platelet-coagulation protein cascade interaction. The information generated from the TEG is rapidly obtained and made useful to guide replacement therapy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the TEG as its guided blood replacement therapy and pharmacological therapy during liver transplantation. METHODS: This study was carried out in 13 consecutive patients who were subjected to TEG-guided replacement therapy during liver transplantation. A prepared mixture of blood products used for continuous replacement therapy was a fluid composed of red blood cells(2 units), fresh frozen plasma (2 units), and normal saline(500 ml). The pharmacological therapy was performed by comparing TEG of untreated blood and blood treated with antifibrinolytic and heparin neutralizing agent. Based on the findings of TEG, platelet concentrates were given. The TEG samples were obtained at various intervals. Additional TEG tracing was obtained as needed to see the effect of therapeutic intervention. RESULTS: In all patients the reaction time was kept in an acceptable range in the preanhepatic stage by administration of the mixture of blood products. Heparin-induced anticoagulation was observed in 3 cases in the anhepatic stage and in 11 cases upon reperfusion. Fibrinolysis was seen in all but one patients: 8% in the preanhepatic stage, 41% in the anhepatic stage, 69% at reperfusion, and 2% in the postanhepatic stage. Early and aggressive treatment with epsilon-aminocaproic acid effectively inhibited fibrinolysis without complications. Ten patients needed platelet transfusion in the postanhepatic stage with significant improvement in the TEG. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that TEG monitoring and TEG-guided replacement and pharmacological therapy are clinically effective in maintaining blood coagulability.