Anticoagulation with bivalirudin during cardiopulmonary bypass in cardiac surgery.

Heparin is the standard agent used for systemic anticoagulation during cardiopulmonary bypass in cardiac operations. Alternatives are needed when patients with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia type II are encountered. We present a patient with a clinical picture of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia type II who was effectively anticoagulated with bivalirudin, a direct thrombin inhibitor, during cardiopulmonary bypass for a cardiac operation.