Argatroban, an attractive anticoagulant, for left heart bypass with centrifugal pump for repair of traumatic aortic rupture

Systemic heparinization often increases the risk of fatal bleeding from other injured organs in surgical repair of the aorta using extracorporeal circulation in patients with traumatic aortic rupture associated with multisystem injuries. We used an antithrombin agent, argatroban, as an alternative anticoagulant in left heart bypass with the Bio-Medicus centrifugal pump in 7 of 9 recent patients who underwent aortic repair using left heart bypass. All these patients survived without obvious evidence of systemic thromboembolization. Surgical treatments for other organ injuries were carried out in 3 patients concomitantly or immediately after aortic repairs without undue blood loss. Argatroban may have a complementary effect for preventing thrombus formation without aggravating bleeding tendency because of its monotarget specificity to thrombin. We believe intravenous administration (0.5 to 2 μg/kg/min) of argatroban is a safe anticoagulant for left heart bypass in repairs of traumatic aortic rupture associated with multiple organ injuries.