ABSTRACT
We reviewed the records of 200 children who underwent 238 orthotopic liver transplantations in order to determine which preoperative factors could predict intraoperative blood loss. A coagulation abnormality score (CAS) was calculated by allowing one point for each abnormality in six preoperative coagulation tests. The mean CAS values were significantly greater in children suffering from fulminant hepatic failure (Fulm) or post-necrotic cirrhosis (PNC) and those having retransplantation (ReTx) than in those with disease of other etiologies. No correlation was found between the CAS and the mean blood requirements in the different etiology groups. According to the amount of blood transfused, children could be divided in two groups. Group 1 were those with biliary atresia and ReTx, who received more than 200 ml/kg. Group 2 included those with PNC, Fulm, metabolic diseases, and Alagille syndrome and Byler disease, who received less than 140 ml/kg. The mean CAS was significantly lower and the PT significantly better in Group 1. We conclude that preoperative coagulation tests were weak predictors of intraoperative bleeding. The etiology of the underlying liver disease and previous abdominal surgery play an important role in the occurrence of severe bleeding. Intraoperatively, children presented the same hemostatic changes as adults.
Subject(s)
Blood Coagulation Disorders/physiopathology , Hemostasis , Liver Transplantation/physiology , Biliary Atresia/blood , Biliary Atresia/complications , Biliary Atresia/surgery , Blood Coagulation Disorders/etiology , Blood Coagulation Tests , Blood Loss, Surgical , Blood Transfusion/statistics & numerical data , Child , Child, Preschool , Hemostasis, Surgical , Hepatic Encephalopathy/blood , Hepatic Encephalopathy/complications , Hepatic Encephalopathy/surgery , Humans , Intraoperative Care , Liver Cirrhosis/blood , Liver Cirrhosis/complications , Liver Cirrhosis/surgery , Liver Transplantation/adverse effects , Metabolism, Inborn Errors/blood , Metabolism, Inborn Errors/complications , Metabolism, Inborn Errors/surgery , Reoperation , Retrospective Studies , Severity of Illness IndexABSTRACT
A multicentre randomised trial including 87 patients admitted for acute myocardial infarction compared the effects of a single intravenous bolus of an anisoylated plasminogen streptokinase activator complex (APSAC) 30 units with those of heparin treatment on haemostasis during the first 4 days after treatment. In the APSAC group, a rapid and significant reduction in fibrinogen, plasminogen and alpha 2-antiplasmin was observed, associated with an increase of fibrin(ogen) degradation products, reflecting a strong systemic lytic activity. None of these parameters were significantly modified by heparin, but the anticoagulant effect was apparent as assessed by the activated partial thromboplastin time. The systemic fibrinolysis induced after different regimens of streptokinase infusion demonstrated that an intravenous bolus of APSAC 30U was as potent as streptokinase 500,000 or 1,500,000IU administered intravenously over 45 minutes and definitely more fibrinolytic than intracoronary infusion of streptokinase 250,000IU. Despite the demonstrated fibrin specificity of the drug at a low dose, a high dose of APSAC (30U intravenously) induced an important systemic lytic state for at least 12 hours.
