RESUMO
BACKGROUND: The administration of low dose heparin and dextran therapy in patients with arterial bypass surgery is thought to prevent thrombosis and graft occlusion. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of low dose heparin and dextran in atherosclerosis patients presenting hypercoagulability. METHODS: Whole blood coagulation was evaluated using thrombelastography and standard coagulation testing before and a day after surgery in nine atherosclerotic patients and nine control patients. Heparin 5000 U and dextran 500 ml were administrated in atherosclerotic patients during their operations. RESULTS: Atherosclerotic patients showed higher maximal amplitude compared to the control patients during preoperative thrombelastography. After surgery atherosclerotic patients revealed no significant change, but the control group became more hypercoagulable in status compared to the preoperative period. CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous heparin and dextran prevented postoperative change to a more hypercoagulable state than the preoperative status in atherosclerotic patients undergoing arterial bypass surgery.