Anticoagulation monitoring during extracorporeal circulation with the Hepcon/HMS device

Objective: The objective of our study was to compare the standard protocol of anticoagulation to the Hepcon/HMS.Method: This study included forty-four patients who underwent coronary bypass grafting surgery (CABG), or biological aortic valve replacement (AVR). Unfractionated heparin (UH) was used for patients who underwent operations in the control group (n = 22) (300U/Kg of UH with a goal of an ACT of 400s). The heparin was antagonized dose/dose by protamine. For the patients who underwent operations in the HMS group (n = 22), the heparin and protamine doses were assessed by the Hepcon/HMS device.Results: The sex ratio amounted to 1.93 (29 men and 15 women) and the mean age was 70 ± 11 years. The patients in the HMS group had a chest closure time that was significantly shorter than patients in the control group. The times were, respectively, 42 ± 15 minutes and 68 ± 27 minutes (p = 0.001). The protamine/heparin ratio was significantly lower in the HMS group (0.62 ± 0.13 vs. 1 ± 0.11) (p = 0.0001). The po...