The influence of cardiopulmonary bypass priming without FFP on postoperative coagulation and recovery in pediatric patients with cyanotic congenital heart disease

Transfusion guidelines have been produced for the evidence-based use of fresh frozen plasma (FFP). However, the inappropriate use of FFP is still a worldwide problem, especially in the prophylactic settings. In the present study, 100 cyanotic pediatric patients (age 6 months to 3 years) undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) were randomized to receive either 10–20 ml/kg FFP (FFP group, n = 50) or 10–20 ml/kg 4 % succinylated gelatin (Gelofusine, GEL group, n = 50) in the priming solution. Rapid thromboelastography (r-TEG) was measured before skin incision and 15 min after heparin neutralization. Postoperative renal and hepatic function, mediastinal chest tube drainage, transfusion requirements, and recovery time were observed. The relationships between hematologic and demographic data and postoperative bleeding volume were also analyzed. The results showed that there were significantly elevated levels of fibrinogen (r-TEG parameters: fibrinogen contribution to maximal amplitude (MAf) and fibrinogen level (FLEV)) in the FFP group compared to the GEL group. The postoperative blood loss, total transfusion requirements, and recovery time were not significantly different between the two groups, indicating that there were no obvious clinical benefits of using FFP in the priming. The maximal amplitude (MA) of r-TEG measured after heparin neutralization was correlated with the 6-h postoperative bleeding volume. In addition, preoperative fibrinogen level rather than FFP priming was an independent predictor of postoperative blood loss. Conclusion: Prophylactic use of FFP in the priming solution does not have obvious clinical benefits in cyanotic congenital heart disease (CCHD) patients. Gelofusine, an artificial colloid, is a safe and effective substitute of FFP in the priming solution. Furthermore, r-TEG can be used as a “real-time” assessment tool to evaluate postoperative bleeding and guide transfusion after cardiac surgery in pediatric patients.